Negotiations on new partnership agreement with EU ongoing
By Leman Mammadova
Enjoying mutually beneficial cooperation, Azerbaijan and the European Union (EU) are on the verge of a new phase that will raise the relations to an even higher level.
Azerbaijan and the EU will hold several video conferences in early September regarding the new partnership agreement, EU Delegation to Azerbaijan told Trend.
The Delegation said that the work on the new agreement continues through teleconferences. “In early September, several video conferences are planned on the institutional and trade chapters of the agreement.”
The decision on the next round of negotiations will be made after these videoconferences.
Earlier, Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov said that the parties are close to complete negotiations on the agreement. In his words, recently, the parties have achieved synchronization in all three parts of the negotiations.
The European Council adopted a mandate for the European Commission and the high representative for foreign affairs and security policy to negotiate, on behalf of the EU and its member states, a comprehensive agreement with Azerbaijan in November 2016.
Currently, bilateral relations between the EU and Azerbaijan are based on the EU-Azerbaijan Partnership and Cooperation Agreement signed in 1996 (entered into force in 1999), covering many areas from trade to education.
The new agreement should replace the agreement of 1996, and should better take account of the common goals and challenges the EU and Azerbaijan face today.
Azerbaijan wants an agreement based on political equality with the EU. The EU recognizes the need to choose a differentiated approach to its neighbors. This means that Azerbaijan can benefit from the EU's political association and economic integration offerings at its own discretion.
The new agreement envisages for the approximation of Azerbaijan's legislation and procedures to the most important international and trade norms and standards of the EU, which should lead to improved access of Azerbaijani products to the EU markets.
The agreement will comply with the principles approved in 2015 in the document of the European Neighborhood Policy and will offer an updated basis for political dialogue and mutually beneficial cooperation between the EU and Azerbaijan.
The negotiations on the new document began in early 2017.
The agreement will cover political, sectoral, trade and economic relations including science and education. Political cooperation will be more crucial. In addition, the economic and energy sectors are also essential.
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Leman Mammadova is AzerNews’ staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @leman_888
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