BAKU, Azerbaijan, June 10. The European Union is already Uzbekistan’s third largest trading partner, said Toivo Klaar, Ambassador of the European Union to Uzbekistan, as he addressed the IV Tashkent International Investment Forum panel themed 'EU-Central Asia Partnership: The Road from Samarkand Summit', Trend reports.
Illustrating the EU’s strong presence, Klaar pointed to the concurrent high-level visits taking place during the forum. "We have not one but two top-level visits happening at the same time — including events dedicated to Bulgaria and Slovakia — which shows the extent of our engagement with Uzbekistan".
While acknowledging that business decisions are ultimately made by companies, Klaar highlighted the important role of the EU delegation and member state embassies in fostering a fair business environment. "We are here not to sign or negotiate specific business deals but to ensure a level playing field and good conditions for European investment and business development".
Klaar also emphasized that the EU’s partnership goes beyond economic interests. Quoting European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen’s remarks at the Samarkand Summit, he said, "While some players are only interested in extracting and exploiting resources, Europe’s offer is different. We want to be your partner at eye level".
This approach reflects the EU’s commitment to supporting not only economic growth but also social development in Central Asia. "A good business environment and cooperation with Uzbekistan go hand in hand," Klaar said. "Good governance — including respect for human rights and the rule of law — are crucial building blocks for the business climate".
He stressed that transparency and strong civil society conditions contribute directly to a favorable environment for business. "It’s one and the same thing — good and transparent conditions for civil society mean good and transparent conditions for doing business".
Summing up, Klaar called the EU’s approach "holistic" and noted that it is already yielding positive results. The ambassador reiterated the significance of the current top-level visits from the EU president and a member state prime minister as a demonstration of the "strength and depth" of the EU-Uzbekistan partnership.