EU Ambassador Visits FPCCI to Deepen Economic Ties, Review GSP+ Progress, and Expand Trade Diversification Atif Ikram Sheikh, President FPCCI

Karachi: Mr. Atif Ikram Sheikh, President FPCCI, has apprised that H.E. Mr. Raimundas
Karoblis, Ambassador of the European Union to Pakistan visited the Federation of Pakistan
Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FPCCI) Head Office in Karachi for consultations aimed at
expanding trade horizons, strengthening industrial linkages, and preparing the private sector for
the upcoming cycle of the Generalised Scheme of Preferences (GSP+).

Mr. Atif Ikram Sheikh said that the high-level discussions brought together diplomatic
representatives and members of Pakistan’s apex trade body to examine strategies for diversifying
Pakistan’s export basket, encouraging direct European investment in high-yield domestic sectors,
and reinforcing compliance with international sustainability conventions.

Mr. Atif Ikram Sheikh emphasized that the European Union remains one of Pakistan’s most vital
trading and development partners, with the preferential market access under GSP+ serving as a
cornerstone of national economic stability.

Mr. Atif Ikram Sheikh reiterated the fact that the European Union is an indispensable
commercial ally, and the preferential tariff regime under GSP+ has enabled Pakistan's exports to
the European single market to expand by over 108 percent over the past decade. As Pakistan
prepares to transition into the next GSP+ cycle, our industrial sectors remain firmly committed to
complying with all conventions covering human rights, labor welfare, climate action, and good
governance.

Mr. Atif Ikram Sheikh stated that the apex trade body aims to facilitate joint ventures and
European direct investment across high-potential sectors including renewable energy, digital
services, high-value textile manufacturing, and agro-processing. Our focus is on transforming
traditional buyer-seller transactions into long-term technology transfer partnerships, he added.

H.E. Mr. Raimundas Karoblis, EU Ambassador to Pakistan, acknowledged the pivotal
intermediary role played by FPCCI in connecting policy directives with commercial
implementation. Reaffirming the European Union’s commitment to Pakistan’s sustainable
economic development, the Ambassador noted that GSP+ continues to serve as an effective
engine of growth, while highlighting that Pakistani exporters must seize emerging opportunities
to diversify beyond traditional textiles into value-added engineering, IT services, leather, and
food products. He also emphasized on the need of improved compliance with human and labor
welfare conventions in Pakistan.

Senior Vice President of FPCCI, Mr. Saquib Fayyaz Magoon, highlighted the tangible economic
interventions required to ensure that the local industry can fully leverage trade pacts and
withstand global supply chain volatility. Pakistan’s industrial sector possesses immense untapped
capacity, but sustained competitiveness in demanding European markets requires targeted trade
facilitation, regulatory harmonization, and a reduction in domestic costs of doing business.

Mr. Zubair Baweja, Head of FPCCI’s Pak-EU Business Forum, outlined the mechanisms being
deployed to build lasting business-to-business (B2B) linkages. The establishment of FPCCI’s
Pak-EU Business Forum reflects our dedication to building actionable bridges between European
buyers and Pakistani exporters, he added.

Brig Iftikhar Opel, SI (M), Retd.

Secretary General