Bangladesh is on track to graduate from the United Nations’ least developed country (LDC) status. The country’s remarkable growth is worthy of a closer analysis regarding the drivers and rationale behind national policies and attracting foreign investments.
The EU’s GSP+ Scheme aims to alleviate poverty in beneficiary countries by providing them the opportunity to strengthen and diversify their exports. Despite the benefits, the nature of the scheme’s conditions have raised questions on its ability to deliver its key intentions. Using Uzbekistan as a case study, this Op-ed will assess and analyse the EU’s GSP+ scheme and question who indeed benefits from the scheme, and the manner in which the EU identifies and addresses the issues of poor corporate practices resulting.
The EU’s beneficial trade scheme for vulnerable, low-income countries, the GSP+ framework, is currently under review. Meant to aid developing countries’ efforts of lifting their most deprived parts of society out of poverty, it is supposed to incentivise social and environmental conditions in countries such as Pakistan. Yet, there is plenty of criticism revolving around transparency, objectivity and effectiveness of the framework. This EIAS Policy Brief examines areas of potential improvement of the scheme along the case of Pakistan.
EIAS Talk by Lin Goethals with H.E. Ambassador Dilyor Khakimov on the Future of Uzbekistan and Uzbek-EU Relations at 30 years of Independence.