COUNCIL DECISION (EU) 2025/1296

of 16 June 2025

on the signing, on behalf of the Union, and provisional application of the Enhanced Partnership and Cooperation Agreement between the European Union and its Member States, of the one part, and the Republic of Uzbekistan, of the other part

THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION,

Having regard to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, and in particular Articles 207(4), first subparagraph and 209(2), first subparagraph, in conjunction with Article 218(5),

Having regard to the proposal from the European Commission,

Whereas:

(1) On 16 July 2018, the Council authorised the opening of negotiations with the Republic of Uzbekistan for an Enhanced Partnership and Cooperation Agreement.

(2) Building upon the desire of the Parties to strengthen and widen relations in an ambitious and innovative way, the negotiation of the Enhanced Partnership and Cooperation Agreement between the European Union and its Member States, of the one part, and the Republic of Uzbekistan, of the other part (the ‘Agreement’) was successfully finalised by the initialling of the Agreement on 6 July 2022.

(3) Therefore, the Agreement should be signed on behalf of the Union.

(4) In view of the need to apply the Agreement before its entry into force following ratification by the Member States, parts of the Agreement should be applied on a provisional basis, pending the completion of the procedures necessary for its entry into force.

(5) The signing of the Agreement on behalf of the Union and the provisional application of parts of the Agreement is without prejudice to the allocation of competences between the Union and its Member States in accordance with the Treaties. The Agreement should be signed on behalf of the Union as regards matters falling within its competence. The Member States retain their competence insofar as the Agreement does not affect common rules or alter their scope.

(6) It is recalled that the principles of sovereignty and territorial integrity of all States, including respect for United Nations Security Council (UNSC) Resolutions 541 (1983) and 550 (1984), constitute international obligations arising from, in particular, membership of the United Nations (‘UN’),

HAS ADOPTED THIS DECISION:

Article 1

The signing of the Enhanced Partnership and Cooperation Agreement between the European Union and its Member States, of the one part, and the Republic of Uzbekistan, of the other part, is hereby authorised on behalf of the Union, subject to the conclusion of the said Agreement (1).

Article 2

Pending its entry into force, in accordance with Article 345 of the Agreement, the following parts of the Agreement shall be applied on a provisional basis between the Union and the Republic of Uzbekistan from the first day of the second month following the date by which the Union and the Republic of Uzbekistan have notified each other of the completion of the internal procedures necessary for that purpose, together with an indication of those parts of the Agreement which are to be provisionally applied, but only to the extent that they cover matters falling within the Union’s competence, including matters falling within the Union’s competence to define and implement a common foreign and security policy:

(a) Title I;

(b) Title II: Articles 3, 4, 6 and 9;

(d) Title IV (with the exception of Articles 26, 75 (to the extent that it concerns criminal enforcement of intellectual property rights), 233 and 234(2) to (4));

(e) Title V: Articles 284, 285, 286, 288, 289 (with the exception of point (b)), 290, 291 (with the exception of (1) (a), (f), and (i)), 292, 306 and 307;

(f) Title VII: Articles 331 to 336;

(g) Title VIII, to the extent that the provisions of that Title are limited to the purpose of ensuring the provisional application of the Agreement;

(h) Title IX, with the exception of Article 347(1) and (2), to the extent that the provisions of that Title are limited to the purpose of ensuring the provisional application of the Agreement; and

(i) Annexes 3, 5-A, 5-B, 5-C, 5-D, 6, 7-A, 7-B, 7-C, 9-A, 12-A, 12-B, 12-C, 12-D, 14-A and 14-B, as well as the Protocol on mutual administrative assistance in customs matters.

Article 3

Where a Member State or the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy (the ‘High Representative’) considers that an international obligation arising from, in particular, UN membership, including respect for UNSC Resolutions 541 (1983) and 550 (1984), is not fulfilled, that Member State or the High Representative, shall raise the issue within the Council with a view to determining whether to hold consultations under the auspices of the Cooperation Council established by Article 337(1) of the Agreement, pursuant to Article 343(4) of the Agreement.

Article 4

This Decision shall enter into force on the date of its adoption.

Done at Luxembourg, 16 June 2025.

For the Council

The President

P. HENNIG-KLOSKA

(1) The text of the Agreement will be published together with the decision on its conclusion.

ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/dec/2025/1296/oj

ISSN 1977-0677 (electronic edition)