Saifullah Ansar

ISLAMABAD, JAN 25 /DNA/ – The last formal EU-Pakistan Summit was held more than fifteen years ago, on June 4, 2010, in Brussels. That meeting marked the second high-level summit between the two sides, following the inaugural session in 2009. Since then, no formal summit has taken place, but bilateral engagement has continued through structured dialogues and cooperation frameworks.

Most recently, the 7th Round of the EU-Pakistan Strategic Dialogue was convened in Islamabad on November 21, 2025. The talks focused on strengthening trade ties, enhancing security cooperation, and reviewing Pakistan’s participation in the EU’s Generalised Scheme of Preferences Plus (GSP+), which provides tariff concessions in exchange for compliance with international conventions.

Relations between Pakistan and the European Union are currently guided by the Strategic Engagement Plan (SEP), signed in 2019. The SEP provides a comprehensive framework for cooperation across political, security, and economic domains, ensuring continuity in engagement despite the absence of formal summits.

In addition to the Strategic Dialogue, the 15th Meeting of the EU-Pakistan Joint Commission was held in December 2025. This meeting placed particular emphasis on trade relations, highlighting the EU’s role as one of Pakistan’s largest trading partners. Both sides reaffirmed their commitment to expanding market access, addressing trade barriers, and promoting investment opportunities.

Observers note that while the lack of formal summits since 2010 reflects certain political and logistical challenges, the ongoing dialogues and commission meetings demonstrate a sustained commitment to partnership. The EU continues to view Pakistan as a key regional player, while Islamabad values Brussels as an important economic and diplomatic partner.

With the Strategic Dialogue and Joint Commission meetings reinforcing cooperation, both sides appear determined to maintain momentum in their relationship, even in the absence of summit-level engagements.