ENC Publication – Assessing Uzbekistan’s Reform Trajectory and Its Strategic Implications for EU–Uzbekistan Relations

The European Neighbourhood Council (ENC) has published a new analytical report assessing Uzbekistan’s reform trajectory and its strategic implications for EU–Uzbekistan relations.

Funded by the European Parliament and supported by the ALDE Party, the report evaluates Uzbekistan’s evolving political economy, regional diplomacy, and sectoral transformations since the launch of President Shavkat Mirziyoyev’s reform agenda. Drawing on expert consultations, policy data, and field research, it highlights how Uzbekistan’s controlled liberalisation, particularly in economic governance, investment policy, and regional diplomacy, has reshaped the country’s international positioning while maintaining a centralised political system.

The study underscores the strategic importance of the EU–Uzbekistan Enhanced Partnership and Cooperation Agreement (EPCA), which provides the legal and institutional framework capable of anchoring these reforms through regulatory convergence, trade facilitation, and cooperation in areas such as connectivity, critical raw materials, and sustainable energy.

The report was first presented by ENC Managing Director, Samuel Doveri Vesterbye at a high-level event titled “Reform and Engagement: The New EU–Uzbekistan Agenda,” held on 25 February 2026 at the European Parliament in Brussels.

Hosted by MEP Ilhan Kyuchyuk, the event opened with remarks highlighting the transformative potential of the EPCA and Uzbekistan’s constructive regional role, particularly in fostering cooperation within Central Asia and maintaining engagement with Afghanistan.

The conference brought together senior EU officials, Members of the European Parliament, policy experts, and a high-level Uzbek delegation led by H.E. Sodiq Safoyev, First Deputy Chair of the Senate of Uzbekistan, and H.E. Abdulaziz Komilov, Special Representative of the President of Uzbekistan for Foreign Affairs and was moderated by ENC Academic Council Member Associate Professor Fabienne Bossuyt.

The full report is available here.

* This report was prepared with financial support from Renew Europe. Renew Europe is a centrist, pro-European political group in the European Parliament. It brings

together liberal and reform-oriented parties from across the European Union.