On May 24, the Deputy PM/Minister of Investment and Foreign Trade S. Umurzakov hosted the Special Representative of the European Union for Central Asia Peter Burian, the ministry reported.
The parties discussed current state and prospects of political, trade-economic, investment, financial-technical and cultural-humanitarian cooperation between Uzbekistan and the EU.
During the dialogue, the parties outlined priority areas for further cooperation. An agreement was reached to step up joint effrots to increase trade between Uzbekistan and the EU countries. Peter Burian expressed the EU's readiness to assist in holding seminars and other necessary activities to raise awareness of the use of the benefits of GSP + preferences among exporters and relevant ministries and departments.
Also, cooperation on Uzbekistan's accession to the World Trade Organization will continue - in the near future, bilateral negotiations will be organized on access to the market for goods and services, as well as on issues of support for agriculture. In addition, the parties agreed to intensify negotiations to agree on the text of the Enhanced Partnership and Cooperation Agreement (EPCA) with a view to approving it by the end of this year.
The new agreement is intended to replace the partnership and cooperation agreement between Uzbekistan and the EU that has been in force since July 1, 1999.
