European Union - EEAS (European External Action Service)

Chronology of bilateral relations

18 January
Arrival of first resident Head of Delegation, Eduard Auer.
The Regionalised Delegation is upgraded into a fully-fledged Delegation.
1 January
The Partnership and Cooperation Agreement (PCA) between the EU and Tajikistan enters into force following ratification by all parties.

1 December
With the Lisbon Treaty entering into force, the Delegation of the European Commission to the Republic of Tajikistan is transformed into the Delegation of the European Union to the Republic of Tajikistan.
23 September
Second meeting of the EU-Tajikistan Human Rights Dialogue held in Dushanbe.
15 September
EU-Central Asia Ministerial Conference held in Brussels.
10-11 July
First EU-Tajikistan Civil Society Seminar held in Dushanbe.
28-29 May
A session of the Troika EU-Central Asia at Ministers' of Foreign Affairs level held in Dushanbe.
10 February
Visit by the President of the Republic of Tajikistan, Emomali Rahmon, to Brussels. He met the President of the European Commission Jose Manuel Barroso, the High-Representative Javier Solana, and the EIB.

25 November
8th and last meeting of the EU-Tajikistan Joint Committee held in Dushanbe.
31 October
First meeting of the Human Rights Dialogue held in Dushanbe.
17-18 September
EU-Central Asia Ministerial Troika and the EU-Central Asia Security Forum held in Paris.
9-10 April
EU-Central Asia Ministerial Troika held in Ashgabat.
8 April
Visit by the European Commissioner for external relations, Benita Ferrero-Waldner, to Tajikistan. She meets President Emomali Rahmon and Foreign Minister Hamrokhon Zarifi.

20 December
7th meeting of the EU-Tajikistan Joint Committee held in Brussels.
June 30
The EU Strategy paper is presented at the Troika EU-Central Asia Foreign Ministers' meeting in Berlin, on the last day of the German Presidency.
June 23
The first European Union Strategy Paper for developing cooperation with Central Asia is approved in Brussels during a session of the European Council, under the German presidency.
March 28
A session of the Troika EU-Central Asia at Ministers' of Foreign Affairs level held in Astana.
January
Charlotte Adriaen takes up position of Chargé d'affaires a.i.

6 December
6th meeting of the EU-Tajikistan Joint Committee held in Dushanbe
13 February
Adriaan van der Meer accredited as non-resident Head of Delegation.

24 November
5th meeting of the EU-Tajikistan Joint Committee held in Brussels.
July 28
The EU Council establishes the position of Special Representative of the EU for Central Asia, and appoints Jan Kubis to the post. Presently, the position of EU Special Representative for Central Asia is held by Pierre Morel.
1 May
An Interim Agreement on Trade and Trade-related Matters between the EU and Tajikistan enters into force.

22 October
4th meeting of the EU-Tajikistan Joint Committee held in Dushanbe.
11 October
The EU and Tajikistan, represented by President Emomali Rahmonov, sign a Partnership and Cooperation Agreement (PCA) in Luxembourg. It replaces the Trade and Cooperation Agreement. An Interim Agreement on Trade and Trade-related Matters is also signed, pending ratification of the PCA.
17 May
The Delegation of the European Commission to Tajikistan is officially accredited as a diplomatic representation of the European Commission in May 2004. It operates under the authority of the Head of Delegation based in Kazakhstan. It is referred to as a Regionalized Delegation, supervised by a Chargé d'affaires a.i, Barbara Plinkert. The offices of the Delegation were already established in Dushanbe in the course of 2003.
17 March
Visit of the European Commissioner for External Relations, Chris Patten, to Tajikistan.

30 November
One of the experts employed by the European Commission was killed in tragic circumstances, and all TACIS projects were shut down. However, the other programmes – EIDHR and FSP – did continue their projects.
27 June
Peace agreement formally ends the civil war in Tajikistan.

Tajikistan endorses by exchange of letter the Trade and Cooperation Agreement signed by the EU with the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR) in 1989, as the legal framework for relations between the EU and Tajikistan.

Relations start in 1992 as the TACIS programme opened its office in Dushanbe. It closed again a few months later because of security risks related to the start of the civil war (1992-1997). This did not stop the European Commission from implementing some projects in Tajikistan though, mainly working through funding other international organisations and implementing partners that were still active in Tajikistan, such as UNDP, but also with other European Commission instruments such as the Food Security Programme (FSP) and ECHO.