EU/Kyrgyzstan Enhanced Partnership and Cooperation Agreement

PURPOSE: to conclude, on behalf of the European Union, the Enhanced Partnership and Cooperation Agreement between the European Union, of the one part, and the Kyrgyz Republic, of the other part.

PROPOSED ACT: Council Decision.

ROLE OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT: Council may adopt the act only if Parliament has given its consent to the act.

BACKGROUND: In accordance with a Council Decision, the Enhanced Partnership and Cooperation Agreement between the European Union and its Member States, of the one part, and the Kyrgyz Republic, of the other part was signed, subject to the conclusion of the Agreement at a later date.

The Agreement constitutes an important step towards the increased political and economic engagement of the Union in Central Asia. By strengthening political dialogue and improving cooperation in a broad range of areas, the Agreement will provide the basis for more effective bilateral engagement with the Kyrgyz Republic. It establishes an enhanced partnership and cooperation between the Parties, based on shared values, common interests and the ambition to deepen their relations in all areas of its application, to their mutual benefit. This cooperation is a process between the Parties that contributes to sustainable development, peace, stability and security, through increased convergence in foreign and security policy, effective political and economic cooperation and multilateralism.

It is now necessary to approve the Agreement.

CONTENT: the Council draft concerns the approval, on behalf of the European Union, of the Enhanced Partnership and Cooperation Agreement between the European Union and its Member States, of the one part, and the Kyrgyz Republic, of the other part.

More specifically, the Agreement:

- covers the EU’s standard clauses on human rights, International Criminal Court (ICC), Weapons of Mass Destructions (WMD), Small Arms and Light Weapons (SALW) and counter-terrorism;

- encompasses cooperation in areas such as health, environment, climate change, energy, tax, education and culture, labour, employment and social affairs, science and technology, and transport;

- further addresses legal cooperation, rule of law, money laundering and terrorist financing, organised crime and corruption;

- ensures a better regulatory environment for economic operators and will thus bring substantial economic benefits for EU businesses;

- sets up an institutional framework composed of the Cooperation Council, Cooperation Committee and Parliamentary Cooperation Committee, an Intellectual Property Rights Sub-Committee, and allows for the establishment of sub-committees and other bodies to assist the Cooperation Council;

- also establishes a fulfilment of obligations mechanism to address failure by one of the Parties to fulfil obligations assumed under the Agreement.