President Shavkat Mirziyoyev met with the High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Vice-President of the European Commission, Kaja Kallas on March 27, to discuss Uzbekistan’s accession to the World Trade Organization (WTO) and bilateral cooperation, the Presidential Press Service reported.
At the beginning of the meeting, Kallas conveyed greetings and best wishes from European Council President António Costa and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen.
The discussions focused on preparations for the first Central Asia-European Union summit, set to take place in Samarkand on April 3-4. The parties also reviewed the outcomes of the ministerial-level meeting held in Ashgabat earlier, emphasizing its productive results.
Both sides highlighted the importance of strengthening trade and logistics ties, including leveraging the Trans-Caspian Transport Corridor, advancing digitalization, promoting green energy initiatives, and modernizing infrastructure. They also stressed the need for effective mechanisms to implement joint initiatives and projects.
The talks covered Uzbekistan’s deepening engagement with EU institutions, including the adoption of a new Enhanced Partnership and Cooperation Agreement (EPCA) and progress toward WTO accession.
Additionally, President Mirziyoyev and Kallas exchanged views on international and regional political developments.
In 2024, Europe emerged as Uzbekistan's top trading partner, making up 42.3% of the country's total foreign trade turnover. Uzbekistan exported goods worth $14.1bn to Europe, while imports from the region amounted to $13.8bn.
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