Shavkat Mirziyoyev congratulates António Costa on his election as President of the European Council

Shavkat Mirziyoyev warmly congratulated António Costa on his election as President of the European Council and wished him great success in his new role.

It was noted with deep appreciation that in recent years, multifaceted cooperation between Uzbekistan and the European Union has reached a high level and continues to develop rapidly across all priority areas.

Active dialogue and exchanges at various levels are underway. In 2024, the trade turnover between Uzbekistan and EU member states exceeded 6 billion EUR, while the portfolio of projects with European companies reached 30 billion EUR.

Last year, a strategic partnership agreement on critical mineral resources was signed. Effective cooperation is also being pursued in areas such as transport and digital connectivity, the green economy, culture, and others.

The parties expressed confidence that the prompt signing of the Enhanced Partnership and Cooperation Agreement between Uzbekistan and the European Union would provide a significant impetus to the comprehensive development of mutual relations.

The leaders of Uzbekistan and the European Council also exchanged views on international and regional cooperation issues. Joint plans were discussed to prepare for and host the first "Central Asia–European Union" summit in April 2025 in the city of Samarkand.