EU, Uzbekistan sign Enhanced Partnership and Cooperation Agreement
On October 24, a solemn signing ceremony of the Enhanced Partnership and Cooperation Agreement between the Republic of Uzbekistan and the European Union took place in Brussels in the presence of President of the Republic of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev, President of the European Council António Costa, and President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen, UzA reports.
The document renews and significantly expands the legal framework for cooperation between Uzbekistan and the EU, which until now has been based on the 1996 Partnership and Cooperation Agreement.
Negotiations on the draft of the new Agreement began in February 2019 and were completed in July 2022. The document was initialed on July 6, 2022, in Brussels.
The Agreement consists of nine sections, 356 articles, and 14 annexes. It covers virtually all areas of bilateral relations and establishes a comprehensive legal framework to strengthen political dialogue and deepen cooperation across mutually beneficial spheres, with particular emphasis on trade and investment, sustainable development, science and education, innovation and high technology, environmental protection, and climate change.
The signing of the Agreement marks the beginning of a new stage in relations between Uzbekistan and the European Union, elevating their multifaceted partnership to an unprecedented level.
Earlier, it was reported Iran and Uzbekistan are stepping up efforts to expand trade, setting a goal to raise annual exchanges from around US$500 million to US$2 billion.