On 8 and 9 April 2024, in Dushanbe, the European Union and the Republic of Tajikistan held the third round of negotiations of a new comprehensive framework for strengthening their bilateral relations.

The negotiations for an Enhanced Partnership and Cooperation Agreement (EPCA), launched in February 2023, in line with the EU-Central Asia Strategy, represent an important milestone in the EU’s relations with Tajikistan, with the aim to strengthen mutual cooperation in regard to political relations, trade, key economic sectors, as well as the rule of law and human rights.

During the third round of negotiations substantial progress was achieved. The future EPCA will replace the current EU-Tajikistan Partnership and Cooperation Agreement, in force since 2010.

The negotiations were led by Chief Negotiators Mr Luc Devigne, Deputy Managing Director for Europe and Central Asia at the European External Action Service (EEAS – the EU Diplomatic service), and Mr Ismatullo Nasredin, First Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs. The negotiations on the trade chapters of the agreement were led by, respectively, Mrs Nele Eichhorn, Head of Unit, DG TRADE of the European Commission, and Mr Dilshod Sharifi, Director of Department, Ministry of Economic Development and Trade of the Republic of Tajikistan. Both delegations included teams of experts for trade and sectorial chapters.