Today in Dushanbe, the EU and the Republic of Tajikistan opened negotiations to develop a new comprehensive framework for strengthening their bilateral relations. The negotiations for an Enhanced Partnership and Cooperation Agreement (EPCA) with Tajikistan, represent an important milestone in the EU’s relations with the country, to enlarge the areas of mutual cooperation in the areas of political cooperation, trade, key economic sectors, and also governance, rule of law and human rights.

The future Agreement will replace the current Partnership and Cooperation Agreement (in force since 2010). During the launch of negotiations, the parties agreed on the next steps of the negotiation process The first plenary round of negotiations is expected to discuss specific text proposals and take place in Dushanbe in the spring of 2023.

Negotiations were launched by Chief Negotiators, Mr Luc Devigne, the Director for Russia, Eastern Partnership, Central Asia and OSCE in the European External Action Service (EEAS) and by H.E. Sharaf Sheralizoda, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Tajikistan.