EU's top diplomat Kallas to visit Islamabad on June 1 for strategic dialogue

The High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy of the European Union (EU), Ms Kaja Kallas, is scheduled to arrive in Pakistan on Monday, June 1st, to attend the 8th EU-Pakistan Strategic Dialogue with the Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Mohammad Ishaq Dar, the EU announced on Saturday.

The bloc, according to its statement, said that “HR/VP Kallas will also meet with President Asif Ali Zardari, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and the Chief of Defence Forces / Chief of Army Staff Field Marshal Asim Munir.”

“This is the eighth edition of the Strategic Dialogue between the EU and Pakistan, providing an occasion to review relations through the Strategic Engagement Plan which was signed in June 2019,” it added.

“HR/VP Kallas will jointly conduct a press conference with the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of Pakistan, Mohammad Ishaq Dar, at 12:30 local time.”

GSP+ is the most crucial factor for Pakistan, which makes it the EU's second-biggest trading partner as Pakistan can enjoy concessionary duty on its exports.

Pakistan received this status from the EU in 2014, causing a spike in Pakistani textile exports, increasing them by 108 percent due to low or no duties on its exports to the EU.

This year in October, the European Parliament voted unanimously for the extension of the GSP+ status of developing countries including Pakistan for another four years till 2027.

According to the EU, the GSP+ is an additional incentive provided to developing countries for their “sustainable development and good governance in return for reducing duties to zero on two-thirds of its tariff lines.”

Governments that have received the status should implement 27 international conventions on human rights, labour rights, good governance, and environmental issues.

Despite receiving the status, EU Ambassador to Pakistan Raimundas Karoblis stated in November last year that Pakistan needed to “do better” in meeting the conditions of the status with regards to blasphemy, enforced disappearances, and minorities' rights.

On the other hand, in December 2025, the EU praised the progress made by Pakistan regarding the implementation of 27 international conventions under the GSP+ status, the FO stated.