EU postpones partnership deal discussion with Bangladesh
The European Union (EU) on Wednesday said that it postponed negotiation talks with Bangladesh on a new cooperation agreement.
'Given the current situation, the first round of negotiations on the Partnership and Cooperation Agreement scheduled for September has been delayed, with no new date set,' stated Nabila Massrali, the EU foreign affairs spokesperson.
The agreement aims to strengthen trade, economic, and developmental ties between Bangladesh and the EU, which is Bangladesh's main trading partner, accounting for 20.7% of its trade in 2023.
The EU, as a collective group, remains Bangladesh's largest trading partner. In 2023, Bangladesh exported apparel and other textile products worth $23.8 billion to the EU.
As a Least Developed Country (LDC), Bangladesh has benefited from duty-free access to the EU market under the "EBA-everything but arms" scheme.
Bangladesh has been seeking to bolster trade, economic, and developmental cooperation with the EU as it prepares for its transition out of LDC status in 2026, aiming to remain competitive in the global market.
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