By  Trend

The next round of talks on the new strategic partnership agreement between the European Union (EU) and Azerbaijan will be held in Baku June 13-14, Head of the EU Delegation to Azerbaijan Malena Mard told reporters June 8 on the sidelines of the EU-Azerbaijan Business Forum.

“We have talks regularly ongoing. Already next week in Baku I will have two delegations discussing the new agreement, including one delegation especially from DG Trade (Directorate General for Trade of the European Commission),” added Mard.

The European Council adopted a mandate for the European Commission and the high representative for foreign affairs and security policy to negotiate, on behalf of the EU and its member states, a comprehensive agreement with Azerbaijan in November 2016.

The new agreement should replace the 1996 partnership and cooperation agreement and should better take account of the shared objectives and challenges the EU and Azerbaijan face today.

The agreement will follow the principles endorsed in the 2015 review of the European Neighborhood Policy and offer a renewed basis for political dialogue and mutually beneficial cooperation between the EU and Azerbaijan.

The new agreement envisages the compliance of Azerbaijan’s legislation and procedures with the EU’s most important international trade norms and standards, which should lead to the improvement of Azerbaijani goods’ access to the EU markets.