Bangladesh 1st in South Asia to conclude EU PCA
Kaja Kallas, Vice-President of the European Commission, has said the Partnership and Cooperation Agreement (PCA) between Bangladesh and the European Union is intended to promote shared prosperity through enhanced cooperation in trade and investment, digital trade, customs matters, intellectual property rights, education and training, as well as science and technology.
Speaking in Brussels on Monday at the initialling of the agreement, she said the PCA is grounded in a shared commitment to international law and norms.
It also provides for closer cooperation in areas such as climate change, counterterrorism, migration, human trafficking, money laundering, drug control, organised crime and crisis management.
Bangladesh is the first South Asian country to conclude a modern PCA with the European Union. Once it enters into force, the agreement will replace the existing Cooperation Agreement signed in 2001.
Kallas, who also serves as the EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, thanked both negotiating teams – particularly the chief negotiators – for their sustained efforts.
She expressed hope that the agreement would be formally signed in the near future following the completion of required formalities, including legal verification, and that both sides would work together to implement its commitments.
She noted that the PCA responds to the need for a more strategic and comprehensive framework for Bangladesh-EU relations, observing that the current bilateral arrangement dates back to 1994. “It also reflects our shared ambition to deepen cooperation and build resilience,” she said.
Welcoming Bangladesh’s Foreign Minister Dr Khalilur Rahman to Brussels, Kallas commended his early engagement and congratulated the new government on its reform agenda. She highlighted cooperation under the EU’s Global Gateway initiative and efforts to address the ongoing Rohingya crisis as key elements of bilateral relations.
Describing the initialling as a significant milestone, she said it marked a further strengthening of ties between Bangladesh and the European Union, which regards Bangladesh as an important partner in the Indo-Pacific region.
The PCA establishes a comprehensive framework for enhanced political, economic and strategic cooperation, underpinned by shared commitments to democracy, human rights, peace and security, climate action and sustainable development.
Comprising 82 articles, it covers areas including political dialogue, trade and investment, energy, transport, agriculture, migration, security, finance, maritime affairs and people-to-people exchanges.
Negotiations between Bangladesh and the EU began in late 2024 and were concluded earlier this year. The initialling of the text paves the way for formal signature and ratification by both parties once the necessary procedures are completed.
Bangladesh and the EU have maintained relations for more than 50 years, with development cooperation and trade forming the cornerstone of their engagement. The EU remains Bangladesh’s largest trading partner, with bilateral trade exceeding €22 billion.
Since 2001, Bangladesh has also benefited from the EU’s ‘Everything But Arms’ (EBA) arrangement, which grants duty-free and quota-free access for all exports except arms and ammunition.
