Bilateral relations between Turkmenistan and the EU are governed by an Interim Trade Agreement (1998), pending ratification of a Partnership and Cooperation Agreement (PCA) by the EU member countries and the European Parliament.

The two parties have also signed a Memorandum of Understanding on cooperation in the field of energy  (2008).

Funding is provided by the EU's Development Cooperation Instrument (DCI) .

EU assistance to the country focuses on:

• economic reforms
• market and regulatory reforms
• education and capacity building
• good governance and rule of law
• promotion of civil society
• agriculture and rural development.

 

The EU and Turkmenistan also cooperate in the framework of a regional approach which includes all five Central Asian republics: the EU and Central Asia strategy for a new partnership  (2007).

For more information, see also:

• Council conclusions on implementation of the EU-Central Asia strategy  
• EU regional strategy paper for Central Asia 2007-13  [277 KB] (objectives, policy and priorities)
• Central Asia multi-annual indicative programme (2011-13) (DCI) [327 KB]

 

Turkmenistan also participates in several ongoing regional and thematic programmes.