Agenda for the EU-Azerbaijan Cooperation Council’s meeting, scheduled for February 9, has been revealed.

During the meeting, to be chaired by EU High Representative Federica Mogherini and Azerbaijan’s Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov, the sides will discuss the state of the EU-Azerbaijan relations in the framework of the Eastern Partnership and the European Neighborhood Policy, reads a message posted on the Council of the European Union website.

The discussion will also cover such topics as ongoing negotiations on the new EU-Azerbaijan bilateral agreement, economic and trade cooperation, as well as ongoing economic reforms in Azerbaijan.

The Cooperation Council will discuss energy cooperation, including the Southern Gas Corridor, and energy efficiency.

The ongoing negotiations on the civil aviation agreement will be touched as well.

Mammadyarov and Mogherini will have a political dialogue, including on democracy, rule of law and human rights. They are also expected to touch upon the Armenia-Azerbaijan Nagorno-Karabakh conflict and a number of regional issues.

The European Council adopted a mandate for the European Commission and the high representative for foreign affairs and security policy to negotiate – on behalf of the EU and its member states – a comprehensive agreement with Azerbaijan in November 2016.

The European Council adopted a mandate for the European Commission and the high representative for foreign affairs and security policy to negotiate, on behalf of the EU and its member states, a comprehensive agreement with Azerbaijan in November 2016.

In February 2017, the two sides launched negotiations on a new strategic agreement that will replace the old one – the partnership and cooperation agreement signed in 1996. The new agreement must more take into account the common goals and challenges facing the EU and Azerbaijan today.

The agreement will follow the principles endorsed in the 2015 review of the European Neighborhood Policy and offer a renewed basis for political dialogue and mutually beneficial cooperation between the EU and Azerbaijan.

Currently, the EU is Azerbaijan’s first trading partner representing 51 percent of Azerbaijan’s total trade. The EU’s exports to Azerbaijan consist primarily of machinery and transport equipment whereas EU imports from Azerbaijan cover mainly oil and gas (98 percent of total imports).

Azerbaijan’s trade turnover with the EU amounted to $4.33 billion in January-August 2017, some $3.18 billion out of which accounted for the export to EU countries.

Source www.azernews.az