Home About Us IPDS Team Advisory Board Partners Programs International Young Diplomat School Emerging Young Women Leaders Congress International Certification Programs Islamabad Diplomacy Forum Research SCO Observatory SCO Commitments Tracker GSP+ Transition Tracker Centres of Study Central Asia & Eurasia Women, Peace & Leadership Leadership Center SCO Studies BRI & China Studies European Studies American Studies Africa Studies ASEAN Studies Events Insights Career Support Contact Us
Home/Centres of Study/European Studies
IPDS Centre of Study

Centre for European Studies

Research and dialogue on the European Union's trade, governance and security relationship with Pakistan — including the GSP+ Transition Tracker, the Centre's flagship research output.

About the Centre

About the Centre for European Studies

The Centre for European Studies is dedicated to understanding Europe’s economic and strategic role in global affairs, with a focus on European peace, diplomacy and Pakistan’s relationship with the European Union.

The Centre serves as IPDS’s platform for research, dialogue and practical engagement on the EU, regional European cooperation, and Europe’s relations with the rest of the world — advancing policy discussion on European governance, trade, security and diplomatic relations, with particular attention to Pakistan-EU trade preferences, strategic dialogue and cooperation frameworks.

Flagship Output
GSP+ Transition Tracker
Primary Relationship
Pakistan – European Union
Parent Institution
IPDS, Islamabad · est. 2014
Focus Areas

What the Centre Works On

The Centre for European Studies serves as a hub for research, dialogue and training on key European issues, organised around five focus areas.

01
Politics, Security & Foreign Policy
Research on European politics, security architecture and foreign policy.
02
Global Governance & Multilateralism
Analysis of the EU’s role in global governance, multilateral institutions and regional stability.
03
Trade & Economic Policy
Examining Europe’s economic policies, trade preference schemes and global investment flows.
04
Diplomatic & Cultural Ties
Strengthening diplomatic and cultural ties between Europe, Pakistan and other regions.
05
Dialogue & Convening
Conferences, academic exchanges and policy discussions that bring European affairs into the Pakistani policy conversation.
Flagship Research

GSP+ Transition Tracker

Pakistan’s duty-free access to its largest export market ends its automatic phase on 1 January 2027. Our tracker follows the reapplication process, the 32 conventions and the evidence, sourced from primary EU documents — maintained by the Centre for European Studies and updated weekly.

EUR 7.5bn
GSP+ eligible exports to the EU, 2024
114
Days until the new GSP regime applies
32
International conventions under evaluation
Explore the Full Tracker →
Research & Further Reading

Explore Further

IPDS analysis on Europe, alongside recent work from our sister publication and a peer-reviewed partner journal.

Browse All Europe Insights →
From The Diplomatic Insight

Milan’s Rise as Europe’s Scientific Diplomatic Capital →

How university alliances and science-diplomacy networks are increasingly setting the EU’s technical and environmental standards.

The Diplomatic Insight · Aug 2026

A View from Vienna: Why Pakistan’s PM Visit Matters More Than It Looks →

Inside the first Pakistan-Austria bilateral visit in three decades, and what it signals for Islamabad’s wider European outreach.

The Diplomatic Insight · Feb 2026

From the Journal of Peace & Diplomacy

Union or Unity: The State of Europe Put to the Test by the Pandemic →

Nicola Neri (University of Bari Aldo Moro) on EU cohesion and sovereignty from Brexit through COVID-19 to the war in Ukraine.

Journal of Peace & Diplomacy · Vol. 5 No. 1 (2024)

Russia-Ukraine Crisis and Energy Insecurity: Is Energy Transition a Sustainable Alternate? →

Yemeen Hasan (Kinnaird College) on Europe’s energy security exposure since the war began, and the case for transition.

Journal of Peace & Diplomacy · Vol. 3 No. 1 (2022)

Latest Coverage

Research & Insights

GSP+ Transition Tracker →

Monitoring the EU Generalised Scheme of Preferences and its implications for Pakistan.

View All Insights →
Engage With the Centre

Work With Us

The Centre welcomes collaboration with researchers, policymakers and partner institutions working on European affairs and Pakistan-EU relations.