On April 16, delegations from the Republic of Azerbaijan and the European Union met in Brussels to resume negotiations on a new bilateral agreement and discuss the Partnership Priorities document. The Azerbaijani delegation was led by Deputy Foreign Minister Yalchin Rafiyev, while the EU side was headed by Audrone Perkauskiene, Deputy Managing Director of the European External Action Service.
According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Azerbaijan, as reported by the Operative Information Center-OMM, the discussions were held in a constructive atmosphere aimed at reaching a mutual understanding of positions and planning the future stages of the process. The meeting concluded with an agreement to hold the next round of negotiations in Baku in early June. The Azerbaijani delegation included representatives from the ministries of Economy, Justice, Energy, Digital Development and Transport, Finance, and Labor and Social Protection, as well as officials from the State Agency for Antimonopoly and Consumer Market Control, the State Customs Committee, the Central Bank, and the State Oil Company of the Republic of Azerbaijan (SOCAR).
During the visit, Yalchin Rafiyev also held meetings with European Commission officials Jan Dusik, Deputy Director-General for Climate Action, and Patrick Child, Deputy Director-General for Environment. These talks focused on establishing an Azerbaijan-EU dialogue format for climate action and the environment, as well as coordinating initiatives within the framework of the COP process and international environmental organizations. This engagement underscores Azerbaijan's strategic commitment to international climate diplomacy as the country prepares to host major global environmental forums.
The new comprehensive agreement is intended to replace the 1996 Partnership and Cooperation Agreement, reflecting the significantly evolved nature of relations between Baku and Brussels over the past decades. Azerbaijan remains a critical energy partner for the European Union, particularly through the Southern Gas Corridor, while the EU is Azerbaijan's primary trading partner. The Partnership Priorities document serves as a strategic roadmap for deepening cooperation in areas such as economic diversification, investment, and regional connectivity.
