EU

Tajikistan is a supporter of expanding and strengthening relations with the European Union, considering it its important international partner, which constantly supports democratic reforms in the country, the rule of law, and human rights, along with the attraction of foreign capital in the priority areas of the national economy, social development and health, environmental protection environment, evaluates the management of water resources, energy, border management and the fight against drug trafficking, and promotes regional cooperation.

Tajikistan's relations with the European Union began in 1992 and have developed and expanded significantly over the past period. Relations between the European Union and Tajikistan were established in 1992 with the opening of an office of the Technical Assistance Program for the CIS Countries (TACIS) in Dushanbe. In addition, the European Commission, through funding from other international organizations and support from partners functioning in Tajikistan such as the United Nations Development Program (UNDP), as well as through other instruments such as the Food Security Program (FSP) and Civil Protection in Emergencies (ECHO). In May 2004, the Delegation of the European Commission to Tajikistan (Delegation of the European Union since 2009) officially started performing as a diplomatic mission.

To ensure the representation of Tajikistan in the structures of the European Union in 2001, the Embassy of the Republic of Tajikistan was opened in Brussels, Belgium, which simultaneously performs the functions of the Representation of the Republic of Tajikistan to the European Union.

One of the tasks of the Permanent Mission of Tajikistan is to ensure through diplomacy the development of cooperation between Tajikistan and the European Union in political, economic, trade, scientific, cultural and other fields of mutual interest, as well as to assist the state bodies, public associations and business circles of Tajikistan in establishing cooperation relations and establishing contacts with representatives of official bodies, public associations and business circles of the EU.

Legal framework

Initially, the legal basis for relations was the Trade Agreement, which was signed between the EU and the CIS in 1989. On October 11, 2004, in Luxembourg, after negotiations and meetings held for several years, with the participation of the President of the Republic of Tajikistan Emomali Rahmon and the Ministers of Foreign Affairs of 25 member states of the European Union, a Partnership and Cooperation Agreement was concluded between the European Union and the Republic of Tajikistan. On January 1, 2010, this Agreement entered into force, bringing relations between Tajikistan and the European Union to a qualitatively new level.

The purpose of the Agreement is to create a framework for political dialogue, develop a framework for legislative, economic, social, financial, civil, scientific, industrial, technological and cultural cooperation, promote trade and investment, in particular in the field of energy and water resources, and support the European Union for economic development and strengthening Tajikistan's efforts to maintain democracy, develop the economy and social infrastructure and ensure the transition to a market economy.

Political cooperation

The Republic of Tajikistan pays special attention to cooperation with the European Union, and this cooperation is a priority of the foreign policy of the Republic of Tajikistan.

With the start of the anti-terrorist operation in Afghanistan, cooperation has been established between the Republic of Tajikistan and the member states of the European Union to support the forces of the international coalition in Afghanistan and provide Tajikistan with infrastructure to these countries, which is clear evidence of the common position of the parties in the fight against international terrorism, extremism and drug trafficking.

The strengthening of relations with the European Union has created favourable conditions for the organization of official visits at the highest level. The official and working visits of the President of the Republic of Tajikistan Emomali Rahmon to the headquarters of the European Union were made five times (February 2009 to Brussels, June 2011 to Strasbourg, April 2013 and December 1-2, 2015 to Brussels, as well as October 2021 year in Brussels).

In 2019, to discuss cooperation between Tajikistan and the European Union at the highest level, President of the Republic of Tajikistan Emomali Rahmon received President of the Council of Europe Donald Tusk.

In 2012, the High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Vice-President of the European Commission, Ms Catherine Ashton, visited Tajikistan and had a fruitful and meaningful meeting with the President of the Republic of Tajikistan, Emomali Rahmon.

Since gaining independence, political contacts have been established between the Republic of Tajikistan and the EU at various levels, which allows relations to develop in a continuous manner.

According to the Partnership and Cooperation Agreement, regular meetings of the Cooperation Council at the level of Ministers of Foreign Affairs, the Cooperation Committee and the Subcommittee on Development, and the Parliamentary Committee on Cooperation are held. The role of other bilateral and multilateral instruments of cooperation, including the political and security dialogue and the human rights dialogue, is important in strengthening relations.

At the regional level, political relations with Tajikistan are implemented within the framework of the new European Union Strategy for Central Asia called "New Opportunities for Strengthening Partnership", which was adopted by the Council of Europe in June 2019. This document is the second policy document supplementing the first Strategy adopted in 2007.

Economic and commercial cooperation

Tajikistan benefits from bilateral trade instruments, including the Generalized System of Preferences (GSP), which gives developing countries preferential access to the EU market. In general, preferential imports from Tajikistan include manufactured goods and textiles.

According to the European Commission, in 2021 the trade turnover between Tajikistan and the European Union amounted to 401 million euros. Tajikistan imported machinery and spare parts, chemical and plastic products and other goods worth 239 million euros. Exporting products from Tajikistan to the EU amounted to 162 million euros.

Cultural cooperation

The Delegation of the European Union annually organizes the “Week of Europe” in Tajikistan and implements a wide range of cultural events within its framework. At the same time, the Embassy of Tajikistan in Belgium annually organizes a number of cultural events, led by the spring holiday Navruz.