The European Council has adopted “The EU and Central Asia: Strategy for a New Partnership” in June 2007 and the first progress report [45 KB] followed in June 2008. The Strategy strengthens bilateral and regional relations in all areas of cooperation.

A Partnership and Cooperation Agreement (PCA) with Turkmenistan has been signed in May 1998 and is under ratification by the EU Member States and the European Parliament. The Interim Trade Agreement was signed in November 1998. In May 2008 a Memorandum of Understanding on cooperation in the field of energy betwxeen the EU and Turkmenistan was signed establishing the basis for enhanced cooperation.

Future EC assistance will focus on the following priority areas: economic reforms, market and regulatory reforms, education and capacity building, good governance and rule of law, promotion of civil society, agriculture and rural development.

Overall EU co-operation objectives, policy responses and priority fields for Central Asia can be found in the EC Regional Strategy Paper for Central Asia 2007-2013 [277 KB] and Central Asia Indicative Programme 2007-2010 [443 KB] . In addition to the assistance under the Development Cooperation Instrument (DCI) , Turkmenistan participates in several ongoing regional and thematic programmes.

 

• Central Asia Multi-annual Indicative Programme (2011-2013) of the EU Development Co-operation Instrument (DCI) [327 KB] (April 2010)