2024-07-03 08:06:27
The Partnership and Cooperation Agreement (EPCA) will provide a new, modern and ambitious framework for developing the partnership between the EU and Uzbekistan, promoting cooperation and legal convergence in areas relevant to the reform processes taking place in the country.
As reported by Day.Az, Peter Stano, press secretary of the European Commission for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, told Trend about this in an exclusive interview.
“Negotiations on the new Enhanced Partnership and Cooperation Agreement (EPCA) were concluded in the summer of 2022 and the agreement is currently being prepared for signature and entry into force. The agreement covers areas such as political dialogue and reform, the rule of law, justice, freedom and security, human rights, migration, trade, as well as economic and sustainable development. It will contribute to the creation of a favorable business and investment climate. It also provides for closer cooperation on foreign policy issues and global challenges such as climate change, corruption and the fight against terrorism,” he said.
Peter Stano noted that the entry into force of the new EPCA will allow the EU and Uzbekistan to intensify cooperation in a wide range of areas, including political cooperation and reforms. The agreement places emphasis on common values, democracy and the rule of law, human rights and fundamental freedoms, and sustainable development.
“The agreement also provides for the expansion of cooperation in the field of foreign and security policy with an emphasis on regional stability and international cooperation, non-proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, conflict prevention and crisis management. It covers cooperation in the field of justice, freedom and security, ensuring data protection, as well as in the field of migration, combating money laundering and terrorism, organized crime and corruption, combating drug trafficking, cooperation in the field of judicial affairs and consular protection,” he stressed.
Peter Stano noted that the EPCA provides a better regulatory environment for economic actors in areas such as trade in goods and services, state-owned enterprises, procurement and intellectual property rights. In addition, the agreement provides for enhanced cooperation in a number of other key policy areas, including economic and financial cooperation, energy, transport, environment and climate change, digital economy, agriculture and rural development, employment and social issues, culture, education and youth, and research.
He also said that EU support in the transition to a modern agri-food system has been one of the most important sectors of cooperation with Uzbekistan since its inception.
“The European Union is the main provider of grants for the agri-food sector in Uzbekistan, through which it supports reforms that enable farmers to thrive, adapt to a changing climate, protect the environment, produce healthy food and become part of local and global value chains. In addition to the €30 million in grants to be allocated between 2024 and 2027, the EU has already supported the reform by allocating €32.5 million to the sector between 2020 and 2023,” said Peter Stano.
According to him, at the EU-Central Asia Transport Connectivity Investor Forum, which took place in Brussels in January 2023, the European Union announced a joint commitment to invest 10 billion euros in sustainable transport connections in Central Asia, which is supported by the contribution of international partners present at the Forum.
“These investments will address 33 hard infrastructure needs and 7 key connectivity actions identified in the June 2023 study “Sustainable Transport Links between Europe and Central Asia” led by the European Commission and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development. The implementation of these actions will significantly improve the operational efficiency and economic attractiveness of the Trans-Caspian Transport Network, stimulating regional connectivity and economic growth in Uzbekistan, as well as in other Central Asian countries,” the European Commission representative stressed.
He also added that support for the green and energy transition is one of the four flagship initiatives of the EU Global Gateway in Central Asia, which is implemented within the framework of the regional Team Europe initiative on water, energy and climate change. As part of this initiative, the EU funds the regional programme “Support to Sustainable Energy Connectivity in Central Asia”, which operates in five Central Asian countries (Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan and Turkmenistan) with the aim of ensuring the creation of a sustainable energy balance in the region by enhancing the capacity to implement energy efficiency and renewable energy sources and creating a favourable environment for investment in renewable energy projects.