LAHORE: The All Pakistan Business Forum (APBF) organised a consultative session with European Union Ambassador to Pakistan Raimundas Karobolis to discuss strengthening of bilateral trade, promoting European investment in Pakistan and creating new avenues for industrial and economic cooperation.
Chairman Pakistan Industrial Estates Development and Management Company (PIEDMC) Shahzad Azam Khan, Chairman TEVTA Brig Sajid Khokhar, Harood Ali Khan, Mian Faheem Qamar and prominent industrialists were also present.
Speaking on the occasion, EU Ambassador Raimundas Karoblis emphasized the significant potential for further expanding economic and commercial relations between Pakistan and the European Union.
He highlighted the importance of the GSP+ framework in providing Pakistani exporters preferential access to the European market and noted that there remains considerable scope to increase Pakistan’s exports and attract greater European investment.
The EU ambassador also underscored the potential for cooperation in emerging and high-value sectors, including digital innovation, sustainable logistics, renewable energy and mining, while encouraging stronger business-to-business linkages between Pakistani and European companies. He stressed the EU’s continued engagement with Pakistan in promoting trade, investment and sustainable economic growth.
President APBF Maaz Mahmood stressed the need to move beyond traditional export sectors and pursue greater diversification and value addition in Pakistan’s export basket. He also highlighted the importance of the EU GSP+ preferential trade framework for Pakistan’s export sector and stressed the need to maximize the opportunities available under preferential market access through increased value addition, product diversification, compliance with international standards and development of competitive manufacturing capabilities.
Maaz called for enhanced cooperation between the Pakistani industry and European institutions to help local manufacturers improve quality standards, certification, sustainability, technology and productivity, enabling them to compete more effectively in the European market.
Chairman PIEDMC Shahzad Azam Khan highlighted the significant potential for further expanding EU-Pakistan trade and investment relations, particularly through greater private-sector engagement, technology partnerships, joint ventures and industrial collaboration. He said that the European Union is a key trading partner and an important destination for Pakistani exports. According to the EU data, bilateral trade in goods between the EU and Pakistan reached €12.2 billion, while the EU continues to be Pakistan’s largest export market. He identified sectors including engineering, automotive and auto parts, pharmaceuticals, agribusiness and food processing, information technology, renewable energy, minerals and other high-value manufacturing as areas with substantial potential for stronger EU-Pakistan partnerships.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2026