Karachi: The Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FPCCI) has announced the commencement of membership applications for the Pakistan-EU Business Forum for the year 2026. The deadline for submission is set for February 16, 2026. According to Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce and Industry, the initiative aims to bolster trade relations between Pakistan and the European Union, with exports to the EU having surged to approximately $8.86 billion in the fiscal year 2025, marking a significant recovery from previous years.
Atif Ikram Sheikh, President of FPCCI, emphasized the importance of the EU as a major market for Pakistan's exports, particularly in textiles, apparel, leather goods, agro and food products, surgical instruments, and light engineering products. The increase in exports is attributed to rising demand in various European regions.
To capitalize on these opportunities, the FPCCI has established the Pakistan-EU Business Forum, designed to support Pakistani businesses and exporters. The forum will focus on expanding outreach to Eastern European countries, where demand for Pakistani goods is on the rise. In addition, the forum aims to maintain structured interactions with both Pakistan's missions in European capitals and European missions in Pakistan to facilitate enhanced business networking and trade promotion.
The FPCCI has stated that the forum will also concentrate on SME capacity-building, export diversification, trade facilitation awareness, and leveraging the EU's GSP+ preferential access arrangements to create new opportunities for Pakistani exporters. Membership is open to a range of business leaders, including CEOs, Managing Directors, and other key executives, as well as members of FPCCI trade bodies and business councils with EU countries.
Mr. Sheikh has urged existing members to renew their membership and encouraged new applicants to submit the necessary forms and documents by the specified deadline. He reiterated FPCCI's commitment to strengthening Pakistan-EU trade ties and urged the business community to engage actively with the forum to harness the expanding market opportunities in Europe.