Uzbekistan, EU seek to advance ties through upcoming high-level talks

Photo: Uzbekistan MFA

BAKU, Azerbaijan, October 24. Uzbekistan and the European Union have discussed preparations for upcoming high-level meetings and joint events, with a focus on translating diplomatic engagement into practical results, at a meeting on October 23 in Tashkent.

This was reflected in the statement by Uzbekistan’s Foreign Ministry, following a meeting between Uzbekistan’s Deputy Foreign Minister Muzaffar Madrakhimov and EU Ambassador to Uzbekistan Toivo Klaar.

The sides emphasized the importance of making effective use of existing cooperation mechanisms, maintaining consistent political dialogue and strengthening ties in trade, the economy and other priority areas.

Following the meeting, the parties agreed to continue efforts to expand mutually beneficial cooperation.

The meeting comes as Uzbekistan and the EU work to deepen their partnership under the Enhanced Partnership and Cooperation Agreement (EPCA), signed on October 24, 2025, and provisionally applied since March 1, 2026. The agreement expands the framework for cooperation in trade, investment and other areas of mutual interest.

The EU and Uzbekistan have maintained formal bilateral relations since Uzbekistan gained independence in 1991, with their cooperation initially governed by a Partnership and Cooperation Agreement that took effect in 1999. The EU is one of Uzbekistan’s key trading partners, accounting for 10.4% of the country’s total foreign trade in 2024.