Agreement with Bangladesh on partnership and development

KEY POINTS

The cooperation between the EU and Bangladesh is designed to contribute to the sustainable development of Bangladesh and the fight against poverty. Bangladesh is one of the world’s Least Developed Countries (LDCs).

Areas of cooperation

• Special attention is paid by the partners to the fight against drugs and against HIV/AIDS. Their actions comprise:
  • prevention measures, monitoring and fighting AIDS;
  • information and educational activities;
  • improving access to health services and treatment for the sick;
  • the rehabilitation of drug addicts.
• Trade cooperation aims to expand trade and open up markets. It takes place in compliance with World Trade Organization agreements. The partners therefore need to make progress towards removing trade barriers and resolving transit or re-export issues, as well as improving customs cooperation and information sharing.
• Moreover, Bangladesh must make progress in its undertakings as regards the protection of intellectual, industrial and commercial property rights.
• Economic cooperation aims particularly at:
  • facilitating contacts between economic operators, business communities, enterprises and investors;
  • improving the business environment and conditions for investment, particularly for small and medium-sized enterprises;
  • promoting technology transfer.
• The agreement enshrines the principle of reciprocal access by the partners to their respective public works contracts. They apply the principle of free access to international maritime transport contracts.
• In the area of the environment, cooperation must make it possible in particular to:
  • reduce the risks of natural disasters, and combat soil degradation in particular;
  • develop environmental policy and workers’ training;
  • promote sustainable and non-polluting energies.
• The partners agree to share knowledge in the field of science and technology and to cooperate in combating the production of drugs and money laundering.
• A key point of the partnership is the development of workers’ rights and skills. International Labour Organization instruments are to be implemented (in the areas of child labour, forced labour, freedom of association, trade union rights, etc.). Measures are also to be taken to foster education and vocational qualifications, particularly for the poorest segments of the population.

Regional cooperation

Cooperation actions may be undertaken with other countries in the region, as a priority in the fields of:

• technical assistance and workers’ training;
• the promotion of intra-regional trade;
• support for regional cooperation organisations (such as the South Asia Association for Regional Cooperation);
• examining questions with a regional dimension, particularly in the sectors of transport, communications, the environment and health.