BAKU, Azerbaijan, December 9. The EU is going to launch negotiations on a new Enhanced Partnership and Cooperation Agreement (EPCA) agreement with Tajikistan, Trend reports citing the official website of the European Council.
On December 8, 2022, the EU Council adopted guidelines for the European Commission and the High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy to negotiate, on behalf of the EU and its member states, a new Enhanced Partnership and Cooperation Agreement with Tajikistan.
The EU will negotiate an enhanced agreement that will support Tajikistan’s reform agenda. Closer and stronger bilateral ties must go hand in hand with adherence to common values of democracy, rule of law and respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms, as emphasized by the EU during the Human Rights Dialogue which took place on 7 December 2022 in Dushanbe.
"The EU is determined to deepen its relations with the Central Asian countries, even more so in the current geopolitical environment. The negotiation of an Enhanced Partnership and Cooperation Agreement with Tajikistan will be a significant step forward in this regard," High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Josep Borrell said.
According to Borrell, this agreement will provide a platform for improved political cooperation, trade and investment between the EU and Tajikistan, incentivising and supporting reforms. Progress in these negotiations will also depend on tangible improvements in Tajikistan’s human rights situation.