What will be the new areas of cooperation with the EU?

The dialogue was organized by the Ministry of Investment and Foreign Trade and the EU Delegation in our country. The co-chairman from Uzbekistan was Deputy Minister of Investment and Foreign Trade Shukhrat Vafayev, from the EU - Head of the Department of the Directorate General for Development of Cooperation of the European Commission Sara Rinaldi with the participation of the head of the Central Asia Department of the European External Relations Service Boris Yaroshevich. EU Member States also joined the meeting as part of the Team Europe initiative.

 The participants reviewed the results of the implementation of the Multi-Year Indicative Program for 2014-2020 in the amount of 168 million euros, which primarily provides for the development of the agricultural sector and rural areas. We discussed the reforms being implemented and planned by the government of the republic in the medium term, as well as the preparation of the European Union for the next cycle of interaction for 2021-2027. It is proposed to include even more areas in the new program - investment climate, digital economy, environmental innovative development of the Aral Sea region and education.

“The planning of the EU's development cooperation programs beyond 2020 is taking place in a challenging environment, with preexisting issues such as the impact of climate change and environmental degradation exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Sara Rinaldi. - Post-crisis recovery is based on the need to ensure a sustainable, socially just and climate neutral economy.

 The main objective of EU cooperation will continue to be the Sustainable Development Goals, along with the general political priorities of the European Commission. Team Europe initiatives will be a key feature of the new program. These are flagship projects in which the EU and member states join forces to have a greater impact on development.

 The Ministries of Agriculture and Water Resources, Innovative Development, Employment and Labor Relations, Higher and Secondary Specialized Education, the State Committee for Ecology and Environmental Protection presented their priorities and directions for establishing contacts with the EU.