Uzbekistan and the European Union (EU) have entered a new phase of cooperation and partnership with the signing of a new Enhanced Partnership and Cooperation Agreement (EPCA).
The EPCA marks a major step in bilateral relations and places Uzbekistan among the EU’s closest partners in Central Asia.
The signing which took place in Brussels, Belgium was attended by Uzbekistan's President Shavkat Mirziyoyev, President of the European Council Antonio Costa and President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen.
"Today we are delivering on that commitment by reinforcing our long-standing relationship with Uzbekistan," von der Leyen said in a statement.
The event comes after the first ever European Union–Central Asia Summit held in Samarkand earlier in the year.
The EU also announced a $12 billion investment initiative for regional connectivity and green transition projects during the summit.
Negotiations for the EPCA began in November 2018 and concluded in June 2022, with the text initialled in July of the same year. The EU Council authorised the signing in October 2024.
The agreement will replace the previous Partnership and Cooperation Agreement (PCA) that has served as the legal framework for relations since 1999.
The original PCA was signed in Florence on 21 June 1996 by the European Communities and their Member States, and the Republic of Uzbekistan. It entered into force on 1 July 1999 and provided the foundation for cooperation in political dialogue, economic relations, trade, and legal reform.
Under the PCA, the EU supported Uzbekistan’s transition to a market economy, while promoting dialogue on democracy, rule of law and human rights.
The agreement also created joint institutions, such as a Cooperation Council, to monitor implementation and strengthen coordination across sectors.
The forthcoming EPCA builds on this foundation, introducing new chapters on digitalisation, connectivity, environmental protection, and green growth, areas that reflect Uzbekistan’s ongoing reform agenda and its goal to align more closely with European standards.
Uzbekistan’s trade with the EU has been steadily increasing; from around $2.6 billion in 2017 to approximately $6.4 billion in 2024.
The new deal is expected to expand cooperation in trade, investment, and climate action, and further enhance Uzbekistan’s access to European markets.
Within the region, Kazakhstan’s EPCA with the EU entered into force in 2020, Kyrgyzstan signed its EPCA in 2024, and Tajikistan initialled its agreement in July 2025.
Armenia’s Comprehensive and Enhanced Partnership Agreement took effect in March 2021, while Azerbaijan continues to operate under its 1999 PCA, with trade turnover with the EU reaching about $24.8 billion in 2023.
Strategic Significance
As a landlocked country, Uzbekistan depends on transit routes through neighbours such as Kazakhstan and via the Caspian Sea through Azerbaijan to reach European and global markets.
The success of the EPCA will therefore rely on improving transport infrastructure, logistics, and regional connectivity.
For Uzbekistan, the agreement offers stronger integration into European value chains and new opportunities for investment and reform.
For the EU, it represents a strategic partnership with a reform-driven country at the heart of Central Asia.
Between January and September this year, a total of 30.5 million tonnes of oil was transported via the Baku–Tbilisi–Ceyhan (BTC) main export pipel...
The French Socialist Party which holds a swing position in the hung parliament has threatened to trigger a no-confidence motion on Monday....
Chinese and US. officials are holding trade talks in Malaysia this week, seeking to stabilise relations between both countries ahead of the highly ant...
Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has expressed his country’s agreement with Tehran’s plans to host the summit meeting of the Caspian Sea ...
Azerbaijan has proposed creating a joint Start-up and Innovation cooperation platform to strengthen regional collaboration and accelerate technologica...
Between January and September this year, a total of 30.5 million tonnes of oil was transported via the Baku–Tbilisi–Ceyhan (BTC) main export pipeline, according to data released by the Georgian Oil and Gas Corporation.
Azerbaijan has proposed creating a joint Start-up and Innovation cooperation platform to strengthen regional collaboration and accelerate technological development across member countries.
The French Socialist Party which holds a swing position in the hung parliament has threatened to trigger a no-confidence motion on Monday.
NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte has called for more pressure on Putin to end the Russia Ukrainian war adding that the Russian president was running out of money, troops and ideas.
At least 69 people have died and almost 150 injured following a powerful 6.9-magnitude earthquake off the coast of Cebu City in the central Visayas region of the Philippines, officials said, making it one of the country’s deadliest disasters this year.
A tsunami threat was issued in Chile after a magnitude 7.8 earthquake struck the Drake Passage on Friday. The epicenter was located 135 miles south of Puerto Williams on the north coast of Navarino Island.
The war in Ukraine has reached a strategic impasse, and it seems that the conflict will not be solved by military means. This creates a path toward one of two alternatives: either a “frozen” phase that can last indefinitely or a quest for a durable political regulation.
A shooting in Nice, southeastern France, left two people dead and five injured on Friday, authorities said.
Snapchat will start charging users who store more than 5GB of photos and videos in its Memories feature, prompting backlash from long-time users.
Colombian President Gustavo Petro has condemned U.S. military operations against vessels in the Caribbean, which have resulted in dozens of deaths and heightened tensions in the region.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Friday that Russian President Vladimir Putin and U.S. President Donald Trump have not ruled out the possibility of a future summit.
Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum said on Friday (24 October) that trade talks with Washington are progressing well. She declined to comment on U.S. President Donald Trump’s decision to halt negotiations with Canada over Ontario’s anti-tariff advertisement.
The French Socialist Party which holds a swing position in the hung parliament has threatened to trigger a no-confidence motion on Monday.
Chinese and US. officials are holding trade talks in Malaysia this week, seeking to stabilise relations between both countries ahead of the highly anticipated Trump - Xi meeting in South Korea next week.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment