BAKU, Azerbaijan, June 10. The European Union
is already Uzbekistan’s third largest trading partner, said Toivo
Klaar, Ambassador of the European Union to Uzbekistan, as he
addressed the IV Tashkent International Investment Forum panel
themed ‘EU-Central Asia Partnership: The Road from Samarkand
Summit’, Trend
reports.

Illustrating the EU’s strong presence, Klaar pointed to the
concurrent high-level visits taking place during the forum. “We
have not one but two top-level visits happening at the same time —
including events dedicated to Bulgaria and Slovakia — which shows
the extent of our engagement with Uzbekistan”.

While acknowledging that business decisions are ultimately made
by companies, Klaar highlighted the important role of the EU
delegation and member state embassies in fostering a fair business
environment. “We are here not to sign or negotiate specific
business deals but to ensure a level playing field and good
conditions for European investment and business development”.

Klaar also emphasized that the EU’s partnership goes beyond
economic interests. Quoting European Commission President Ursula
von der Leyen’s remarks at the Samarkand Summit, he said, “While
some players are only interested in extracting and exploiting
resources, Europe’s offer is different. We want to be your partner
at eye level”.

This approach reflects the EU’s commitment to supporting not
only economic growth but also social development in Central Asia.
“A good business environment and cooperation with Uzbekistan go
hand in hand,” Klaar said. “Good governance — including respect for
human rights and the rule of law — are crucial building blocks for
the business climate”.

He stressed that transparency and strong civil society
conditions contribute directly to a favorable environment for
business. “It’s one and the same thing — good and transparent
conditions for civil society mean good and transparent conditions
for doing business”.

Summing up, Klaar called the EU’s approach “holistic” and noted
that it is already yielding positive results. The ambassador
reiterated the significance of the current top-level visits from
the EU president and a member state prime minister as a
demonstration of the “strength and depth” of the EU-Uzbekistan
partnership.