EU seeks to sign comprehensive partnership and cooperation agreement with Bangladesh

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, in a recent letter to Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus, has expressed interest in signing a Comprehensive Partnership and Cooperation Agreement with Bangladesh.

The EU also aims to continue its ongoing collaboration with Bangladesh and explore new avenues to build partnerships through the proposed agreement, said a spokesperson of the press wing of the chief adviser on Monday.

“The EU stands ready to support a reform process, which should be peaceful and inclusive, respectful of democratic principles, human rights and the rule of law, and lead to transparent, inclusive and credible elections,” the EC president stated in the letter.

Praising Dr Yunus’s commitment to sustainable development, the green transition, the fight against corruption, and the advancement of digitalisation of financial systems, Ms von der Leyen noted that the EU is already engaging with Bangladesh on these issues.

“And we look forward to continuing our collaboration with your country and exploring new avenues to build our partnership, including through a possible Comprehensive Partnership and Cooperation Agreement,” she added.

She further mentioned that the EU remains open to discussing specific needs with sectoral partners and considering additional support that aligns with ongoing initiatives.

“There is substantial potential under the Global Gateway for EU investments in secure and reliable networks and connectivity, including railways, water resources, climate adaptation, health, digital and energy. In parallel, we are working with your administration to bolster the capacity of key institutions”. 

“There is substantial potential under the Global Gateway for EU investments in secure and reliable networks and connectivity, including railways, water resources, climate adaptation, health, digital and energy. In parallel, we are working with your administration to bolster the capacity of key institutions,” she stated.

The EU intends to maximise the impact of this collaboration by integrating targeted technical assistance to support policy development and effective governance in these sectors, sharing EU experience where relevant, she added.

“I wish to express my full commitment to ensure the smooth implementation of EU-Bangladesh cooperation. The EU stands ready to establish regular coordination meetings to ensure a strategic dialogue to provide timely updates on EU programmes, thorough reviews of our support and address new requests to reinforce our shared priorities and strengthen our partnership,” Ms von der Leyen concluded.

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