The European Commission and the High Representative of the Union presented on Wednesday 15 May the EU's vision for a renewed partnership with Central Asian countries (Kazakhstan, Kyrgyz Republic, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan), 12 years after the publication of the first EU strategy (see EUROPE 9442/2).
The region of 70 million inhabitants at the crossroads of Europe and Asia is of commercial and security interest to the European Union.
In addition, as in 2007, the strategy focuses on cooperation in combating common threats and challenges, economic promotion, trade and investment, human rights and democracy, energy, transport and the environment.
The new 17-page Joint Communication focuses on resilience, prosperity and regional cooperation, three priorities that it considers interconnected. It "aims to forge a stronger, modern and non-exclusive partnership with the countries of Central Asia so that the region becomes a sustainable, more resilient, prosperous and closely interconnected economic and political space".
Thus, as part of building resilience, the EU wants to work with Central Asian countries to "anticipate and address the challenges that affect their socio-economic objectives and security and to strengthen their capacity to adopt reforms and modernisation". This must include, in particular, the development of cooperation on border management, migration and mobility and, on common security challenges, the strengthening of cooperation on water, environment and climate issues and the promotion of democracy, human rights and the rule of law.
The Communication highlights the Union's intention to strengthen its cooperation with Central Asian countries to promote peace in Afghanistan and to further integrate this neighbouring country into relevant EU-Central Asia regional programmes.
The EU wants to help Central Asian countries "unlock their significant growth potential by encouraging the development of a competitive private sector and promoting a healthy and open investment environment". According to the Communication, the Union will therefore cooperate in the development of skills, research and innovation, with particular attention to young people. The promotion of sustainable connectivity is another European priority. The EU intends to focus on transport, energy and digital connections, as well as on people-to-people contacts.
As for trade, the strategy emphasizes the need to "address the structural constraints" to encourage interregional and intraregional trade and investment, including by assisting its Asian partner to dismantle non-tariff barriers, promoting the convergence of standards and regulations and simplifying customs procedures. The development of trade in goods and services also requires better use of the opportunities offered by the EU's Generalised Scheme of Preferences (GSP), the document stresses.
The Union undertakes to support the accession to the WTO of all Central Asian States, considering it necessary for them to accede to the WTO's Government Procurement Agreement (GPA).
It also intends to promote its system of geographical indications (GIs) in the region.
Finally, the EU wishes to intensify the political dialogue and to give a more prominent place to civil society in the partnership.
This strategy will be formally presented to the partners at the 15th EU-Central Asia Ministerial Meeting on 7 July in Bishkek, Kyrgyz Republic. See the strategy: https://bit.ly/2VmQYxO. (Original version in French by Hermine Donceel and Camille-Cerise Gessant)