By Melike Pala
BRUSSELS (AA) - The EU and Uzbekistan on Friday signed an Enhanced Partnership and Cooperation Agreement (EPCA) in Brussels, aiming to strengthen cooperation in areas, including security, trade, political dialogue, and sustainable development.
The signing ceremony was attended by European Council President Antonio Costa, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, and Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev.
The agreement was signed by EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas, EU Commissioner for Enlargement Marta Kos, and Uzbek Foreign Minister Bakhtiyar Saidov.
"Uzbekistan is a partner of choice for Europe. We can rely on each other. In today's world, this matters more than ever," von der Leyen said on US social media company X.
The new agreement establishes a legal framework to boost political dialogue and deepen cooperation across various fields, including trade and investment, education, research and innovation, climate change, rule of law, and human rights.
It also expands cooperation in foreign and security policy, encompassing conflict prevention, cybersecurity, regional stability, and disarmament.
According to the European Commission, the EPCA will open new avenues for collaboration in critical raw materials vital for green and digital transitions, building on a memorandum of understanding signed between the EU and Uzbekistan in 2024. The deal also supports regional connectivity through the EU’s Global Gateway initiative and the Trans-Caspian Transport Corridor.
Kallas said on X that it was "an honor" to sign the agreement, describing it as "the start of a new chapter" in EU-Uzbekistan relations, while Costa said the deal marked "a major milestone" in bilateral relations and reflected shared trust and ambition.
"The EU will remain a reliable partner for Uzbekistan on this common journey as we move from neighbors to strategic partners by choice," he said.
The EU and Uzbekistan also concluded their bilateral negotiations on market access for goods and services, a key step in Uzbekistan's ongoing accession process to the World Trade Organization.