EU looks to develop ties with Bangladesh

Bangladesh and the European Union have completed the two-day introductory meeting on the Comprehensive Partnership and Cooperation Agreement (PCA) on Wednesday.

"These discussions signified a landmark in the bilateral relationship between Bangladesh and the European Union," said a statement from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs yesterday.

The PCA meeting was postponed on July 31 amid the student protests that eventually led to the fall of Awami League government on August 5.

Md Nazrul Islam, additional foreign secretary of the ministry, led the Bangladesh side, while the EU delegation was led by Chief Negotiator Paola Pampaloni, deputy managing director, Asia and Pacific Division, European External Action Services.

Ambassador of Bangladesh to Belgium and Permanent Representative to the EU, Mahbub Hasan Saleh, also joined the discussion virtually from Brussels.

Currently, the bilateral relationship between the EU and Bangladesh is based on the 2001 Cooperation Agreement.

The EU, the largest destination of Bangladesh's exports, has been providing Generalised System of Preferences (GSP) facilities. It has helped Bangladesh's RMG industry flourish.

As Bangladesh is graduating out of LDC by 2026, the EU will eventually phase out such facilities but can also provide incentives under a different scheme -- GSP Plus.

However, more conditions -- labour rights, environment, human rights, democracy, media freedom, and civic space -- will be considered for that.

Meanwhile, the EU also looks to develop political relationships with Bangladesh and support its policies, an EU official told this correspondent.

"The discussions included all aspects of the relationship, including politics, governance, human rights, trade and economy, development, environment, etc. It may take two to three years to conclude negotiation and sign the PCA," a foreign ministry official said.