Welcome
Roland Kobia - Ambassador
Dear visitor,
It is a pleasure to welcome you on the website of the Delegation of the European Union to the Republic of Azerbaijan. This site is intended to give information and guidance on Azerbaijan-EU relations, on the European Union in general and on the work of the EU Delegation to Azerbaijan in particular.
The relations between Azerbaijan and the EU date back to the early 1990's soon after Azerbaijan regained its independence. At the outset this took place with the support the European Commission extended to the CIS countries, notably under the TACIS programme.
Relations then evolved into a deeper partnership, the mechanisms of cooperation broadened, covering a wide range of areas such as political dialogue, human rights, security, energy, economic development, trade, environment and transportation. In addition, specific areas such as agriculture, justice, education, culture are also areas of the mutual interest, including with support from European Union projects and programmes.
The opening of a fully-fledged EU Delegation to Azerbaijan in 2008, the entry into force of the Lisbon Treaty in December 2009 and the launching of the European External Action Service in January 2011 create the grounds for reinforcing the presence of the EU in Azerbaijan.
Azerbaijan and the EU have a clear common goal to accelerate political association, economic integration and strong commitments to develop cooperation under different programmes in the framework of the Eastern Partnership and the European Neighbourhood Policy. We have engaged in July 2010 in a comprehensive negotiation process on the future Association Agreement with Azerbaijan which will bring new trust to our relations notably in terms of political dialogue, mobility of people and trade. The January 2011 visit of the European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso was a clear signal of our willingness to continue strengthening and broadening our relations.
The EU Delegation is here to encourage and facilitate this ambitious process of gradual integration. Together with the European Union Member States present in Azerbaijan, we will continue to help enhancing the EU-Azerbaijan partnership for the sake of peace, stability and prosperity in the South Caucasus.
Enjoy exploring our website and do not hesitate to contact our team with questions or comments. Your feedback will be very welcome.
Roland Kobia
Ambassador
Head of Delegation