ISLAMABAD: Romania and the European Union are closely watching Pakistan’s human rights record and its progress under the EU’s Generalised Scheme of Preferences Plus (GSP+), the trade deal that gives eligible Pakistani exports cheaper access to European markets, Romanian Ambassador Dan Stoenescu said on Thursday.
Speaking to reporters at the National Press Club, he was asked about Romania’s backing for Pakistan’s continued GSP+ access after January 2027. That question came amid concerns over alleged political victimisation, tighter limits on the media and human rights violations.
Progress noted, more work required
Mr Stoenescu said Pakistan had taken some positive steps on human rights, but further action was still needed to meet obligations tied to the preferential arrangement. “Although we recognise the positive steps that have been made by Pakistan, more needs to be done,” he said.
He added that an EU monitoring mission is closely examining how the country is performing. The EU, he stressed, will make the final judgment on whether Pakistan meets GSP+ requirements, and he declined to say how that process will end.
“We are looking very closely at the repression of human rights and how these are respected by Pakistan,” he said. As an EU member state, Romania is also tracking developments to see whether Pakistan is honouring its commitments.
What GSP+ ties to rights and trade
GSP+ links trade preferences to Pakistan’s implementation of international conventions on human rights, labour rights, environmental protection and good governance. The monitoring process checks performance against those commitments, which are central to keeping the concessions.
The ambassador said he hoped Pakistani authorities would address outstanding concerns. “We are hoping to see changes, and both Romania and the European Union are hoping that the Pakistani authorities will make the right changes,” he said. He again noted that, despite progress so far, more was expected under the arrangement.
Broader Pakistan–Romania ties
Turning to bilateral relations, Mr Stoenescu said Romania wants stronger trade, defence, educational and cultural cooperation with Pakistan. Two-way trade is currently about $156 million—a level he said does not match the potential of both economies.
He called for efforts to turn longstanding friendship into concrete economic gains. Romania, an industrial and logistical hub in Central and Eastern Europe, could help Pakistani firms reach European markets, while Pakistan offered openings for Romanian companies in several sectors, he said.
Aasan alfaaz mein
Romania aur European Union Pakistan ke insani haqooq aur GSP+ wadon ko gaur se dekh rahe hain. Ambassador ne kaha ke kuch behtari hui hai, magar ab bhi zyada kaam zaroori hai. Yeh trade facility Europe mein Pakistani exports ke liye sasti rasai deti hai, jo 2027 ke baad bhi jari rehna chahiye. Agar haqooq aur media par jo sawalat hain un ka jawab na mila, to yeh fasal EU ke faisle par asar dal sakti hai.
