- Dar meets European Council President Antonio Costa ahead of GSP+ review, emphasizes trade and economic partnership
- Both leaders reaffirm commitment to multilateralism, expressing satisfaction over positive trajectory of Pakistan-EU ties
- FO calls visit a ‘significant milestone’ in Pakistan-EU relations, reaffirming commitment to a comprehensive partnership
- Dar participates in EU Indo-Pacific Ministerial Forum, meets senior EU officials and commissioners
ISLAMABAD/BRUSSELS: Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Senator Mohammad Ishaq Dar on Wednesday held high-level talks with European Union Council President Antonio Costa in Brussels ahead of an upcoming GSP+ review, underscoring Pakistan’s commitment to deepening trade, economic cooperation, and multilateral engagement with the EU.
🔊PR No.3️⃣4️⃣3️⃣/2️⃣0️⃣2️⃣5️⃣
Curtain Raiser: Visit of the Deputy Prime Minister/Foreign Minister to Brussels for Pakistan-EU Strategic Dialogue (19-21 November 2025)
🔗⬇️https://t.co/GAdKtjLRlk pic.twitter.com/1qb2KQGXvu
— Ministry of Foreign Affairs – Pakistan (@ForeignOfficePk) November 19, 2025
According to the Foreign Office (FO), during his meeting with Costa, FM Dar “exchanged views on various areas of mutual interest, including GSP+, trade and economic cooperation expansion, and regional and global security developments.”
Deputy Prime Minister/Foreign Minister, Senator Mohammad Ishaq Dar @MIshaqDar50, called on the President of the EU Council, Antonio Costa @eucopresident, on 19 November 2025 in Brussels, Kingdom of Belgium.
During the meeting, both sides noted with satisfaction the positive… pic.twitter.com/mDYiHVxqas
— Ministry of Foreign Affairs – Pakistan (@ForeignOfficePk) November 19, 2025
Both leaders also reaffirmed their commitment to multilateralism and noted with satisfaction the positive trajectory of Pakistan-EU relations, agreeing to further strengthen the mutually beneficial partnership across multiple domains. Dar also acknowledged and appreciated EU support to Pakistan at both bilateral and multilateral levels.
The Generalised Scheme of Preferences Plus (GSP+), granted to Pakistan by the EU in 2014, had previously led to a 108 percent surge in Pakistani textile exports to European markets due to concessional tariffs.
In October 2023, the European Parliament unanimously extended the scheme for another four years until 2027, allowing developing countries, including Pakistan, to benefit from duty-free or minimum-duty access to EU markets.
The upcoming GSP+ monitoring mission, initially scheduled for June but delayed due to the Iran-Israel conflict, will assess Pakistan’s adherence to 27 international conventions tied to the scheme. The GSP+ grants duty-free access for most Pakistani exports to the EU.
Dar arrived in Brussels after attending the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit in Moscow, where he led the Pakistani delegation. Over his three-day visit, he is set to co-chair the seventh session of the Pakistan-EU Strategic Dialogue, the highest-level institutionalized engagement between the two sides, at the invitation of Kaja Kallas, the EU high representative for foreign affairs and security policy. The dialogue will review cooperation in all sectors under the Pakistan-EU Strategic Engagement Plan 2019, the FO said.
Deputy Prime Minister/Foreign Minister Senator Mohammad Ishaq Dar @MIshaqDar50 arrived in Brussels today on an official visit to participate in the 7th Session of Pakistan-EU Strategic Dialogue and the 4th EU-Indo Pacific Ministerial Forum to be held from 20-21 November 2025 in… pic.twitter.com/5dIKcE4OG0
— Ministry of Foreign Affairs – Pakistan (@ForeignOfficePk) November 19, 2025
In addition, Dar will participate in the fourth EU Indo-Pacific Ministerial Forum (IMPF) over two days, along with bilateral meetings with EU counterparts and engagements with senior EU officials.
On arrival, Dar posted on X that he looked forward to interacting with the European Council president, EU commissioners, members of the European Parliament, and other leaders attending the forum.
I had a successful visit to Russia to attend the 24th SCO Council of Heads of Government meetings in Moscow (17-18 Nov). On the sidelines, I called on Russian President Vladimir Putin along with other Heads of Govt Delegations, held productive bilateral meetings with Deputy Prime…
— Ishaq Dar (@MIshaqDar50) November 19, 2025
While departing from Russia, he expressed gratitude for the “warm hospitality and successful organisation” of the SCO summit and appreciated the Pakistani embassy in Moscow and FO teams for facilitating his visit.
Meetings on the sidelines of SCO summit
During the 24th summit of the SCO Council of Heads of Government (CHG), Dar met Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov. Both sides reviewed the full spectrum of bilateral relations and expressed satisfaction at the current positive trajectory of ties. Dar congratulated Lavrov on the successful hosting of the meeting and highlighted the vital role of leadership and bilateral institutional mechanisms in strengthening ties. They also discussed regional and international issues and pledged to deepen coordination at multilateral forums, including the UN and SCO.
Dar held an informal discussion with Qatari Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, exchanging views on bilateral ties and regional cooperation priorities.
He also engaged with Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin and Chinese Premier Li Qiang to explore enhanced collaboration among SCO member states.
Among other regional engagements, Dar met with: Kyrgyz Republic’s Adylbek Kasymaliev, congratulating him on assuming the SCO Heads of State chairmanship and discussing regional cooperation initiatives.
Uzbekistan’s PM Abdulla Aripov appreciated positive momentum in Pakistan-Uzbekistan relations and emphasizing high-level interactions in multilateral forums.
Tajikistan’s PM Kokhir Rasulzoda, congratulating him on his assumption of the next CHG chairmanship and reaffirming commitment to strengthen bilateral ties across diverse sectors.
The FO described Dar’s visit to Brussels as a significant milestone in Pakistan-EU relations, highlighting Islamabad’s commitment to fostering a comprehensive, mutually beneficial partnership with the EU.
