A two-day international conference "Building Bridges", dedicated to the Azerbaijan-EU relations, opened on Thursday in Jumeirah Bilge Beach, suburb of Baku .
The conference is organized by the Association for Civil Society Development in Azerbaijan (AVCIYA) and the German Institute for European Affairs (INEA).
On the first day of the conference sessions are held on two panels: "Working on the way to Europe," and "Economic ties between Azerbaijan and Europe." Two panels have been planned for the second day of the conference: "Sport without borders" and "Research and Education".
The conference has been attended by prominent foreign statesmen and political leaders, experts, representatives of the Presidential Administration, the government, parliament and civil society in Azerbaijan.
The conference of this level indicates an intensification of the EU-Azerbaijan relations. This especially strikingly manifested itself after the Warsaw Summit of the Eastern Partnership in September 2011. Then a question on the beginning of negotiations on the Association membership six post-Soviet countries in the EU, including Azerbaijan, was raised.
The relations between Azerbaijan and the European Union are based on the Agreement on Partnership and Cooperation. The document was signed on 22 April, 1996 in Luxembourg and came into force on 1 July, 1999.
In June 2004, Azerbaijan joined the European Neighborhood Policy, and in May 2008 - the Eastern Partnership Program (EPP.)
Currently the EU and Azerbaijan are working under EPP in five areas of cooperation: 1) the overall dialogue and reforms, 2) Cooperation in the field of Justice, Freedom and Security, 3) Economic and social reforms, poverty reduction and sustainable development, 4) Cooperation in specific areas, including transport, energy and the environment, 5) Implementation of the direct contacts between the people in the area of training and education, health sector reform, and cultural cooperation.
The head of the EU Delegation to Azerbaijan, Roland Kobia, stated the successful course of negotiations between the EU and Azerbaijan on simplification of visa regime.—0—
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