Negotiators from the EU and Uzbekistan concluded negotiations on an Enhanced Cooperation Partnership Agreement on Wednesday, 6 July. This new framework will replace the current partnership and open up cooperation in new areas such as foreign and security policy, reform, justice and freedom.
For the first of these topics, the focus is on regional stability and international cooperation. Both partners are committing to working together to prevent serious international crimes and on the non-proliferation of weapons of mass destruction.
Among other things, their cooperation covers data protection, migration, the fight against money laundering, terrorism and organised crime, the fight against drugs and judicial cooperation.
Regarding trade, the agreement promises to provide a more favourable regulatory environment for economic actors. The aim is to align standards between the two parties as much as possible, to reduce differences in terms of rules, market access, etc.
Uzbekistan currently benefits from the EU’s Generalised Scheme of Preferences (GSP) and can therefore export all its products to the EU without tariffs or quotas.
Candidates for public procurement between parties should also benefit from the agreement, with chapters ensuring a more level playing field between Europeans and Uzbeks.
Other sectors are also covered by the agreement, such as finance, energy, transport, the environment, the digital economy and agriculture.
According to an EU source, “this agreement emphasises shared values, democracy and the rule of law, human rights and fundamental freedoms and sustainable development”. This was despite the fact that a few days earlier the EU had called on the Central Asian country to show restraint in its repression of demonstrations after clashes broke out in the Karakalpakistan region (see EUROPE 12985/22).
After the conclusion of the negotiations on the agreement on 6 July, technical details still need to be worked out before the agreement can be submitted for signature and ratification. (Original version in French by Léa Marchal)