FOREWORD
The international round table on «Cooperation between Uzbekistan and the European Union:
vision for the Future» was organized on March 14, 2018 in Tashkent by the Institute for Strategic
and Regional Studies under the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan and the Delegation of
the European Union in the Republic of Uzbekistan in cooperation with the Representative Office of
the F.Ebert Foundation in Tashkent.
Heads of the Senate, involved ministries and departments of the Republic of Uzbekistan, the
European Union, as well as heads of foreign diplomatic missions and international organizations
accredited in the Republic of Uzbekistan took part in the round table. The event was also attended
by representatives of leading Uzbek and European research centers and civil society institutions.
The round table became an important part of the negotiations process for a comprehensive
discussion of current state and prospects for further development of relations between
Uzbekistan and the European Union. Particular attention was paid to identifying priorities for
bilateral cooperation in the political, trade, economic, investment, innovation, educational and
tourism spheres.
During the event it was underlined that large-scale, dynamic reforms and open foreign
policy of the Republic of Uzbekistan have created wide opportunities for further deepening
the strategic partnership between Uzbekistan and the European Union. Participants of round
table pointed to the need for correspondence of updated EU Strategy for Central Asia with
the main provisions of the «Strategy of Action on five priority directions of development of Uzbekistan
in 2017-2021».
Discussions within the framework of the round table allowed to compare approaches to
build mutually beneficial and long-term cooperation, taking into account the interests of
Uzbekistan and the European Union, to identify the untapped potential and opportunities for
the parties to interact in various fields.
The exchange of views confirmed the importance of expert support in development
of bilateral relations. The recommendations and proposals developed on the outcome of the
round table were an important addition to the efforts of the parties in establishing multifaceted
contacts in the new conditions.