Following the European Commission's publication, on 19 January, of its report on the impact for developing countries of the EU's generalised scheme of preferences (GSP) and its special SPG+ system of encouragement for sustainable development and good governance for 2016-2017, the Women's Economic and Social Think Tank (WESTT) questions the maintenance of trade preferences for Pakistan under SPG+ when there has been a clear worsening of the human rights situation in the country since 2014.
It appears that Pakistan is infringing more international conventions than Sri Lanka did in 2010, WESTT concludes in a report compiling Pakistan's violations of 13 of the 27 international conventions on human rights, workers' rights, environmental protection and good governance – which the country is committed to applying under the SPG+ in exchange for the removal of 66% of EU customs duties.
"Evidence shows that the human rights situation in Pakistan has been steadily deteriorating since GSP+ was awarded to them in 2014. A spike in military executions of civilians, state-wide silencing of journalistic freedoms, systemic discrimination against women, state-sponsored terrorism, grave labour rights violations (including child and bonded labour), and thousands of un-investigated disappearances are but a few examples of the ways Pakistani authorities are disregarding the core conventions", WESTT warns.
In its report of 19 January, in which it raises "serious concerns" as to Pakistan's respect of its obligations under GSP+, the Commission "mentions all of the human rights abuses that are most pressing, but obfuscates their prevalence and gravity", WESTT deplores. The think tank also questions France's rejection of a request for an in-depth and transparent investigation into Islamabad's respect of the conventions.
"We want to know why Sri Lanka had GSP+ revoked in 2010 for breaching only three of the conventions, but the EU appears to be coddling Pakistan for much more serious breaches", Madi Sharma, a British member of the Economic and Social Committee's employers group told EUROPE on Tuesday 6 February, underlining that Pakistan benefits from tariff reductions of up to €3 billion for the entry of its products into the EU under GSP+.
"The EU is built on the values of freedoms, human rights and democracy. When we turn a blind eye to violations in a third country we trade with, we question our own values. European citizens, consumers, workers and businesses place trust in the EU Commission to set criteria for trade relations. When the conditions of trade are not respected, the European Union fails in its duty of care", Sharma states. She also deplores the lack of mobilisation on this subject at the Council, European Parliament and in civil society. (Original version in French by Emmanuel Hagry)