The European Union desires comprehensive implementation of the National Action Plan on the Labour Sector of Bangladesh within the stipulated timelines as the two sides move to strike a comprehensive cooperation pact.
Officials said Friday the intent was shown when Bangladesh, at a first-ever political consultation between the two sides, sought EU support for continued trade preferences under the EU's new Generalised Scheme of Preferences (GSP) beyond 2029 in order to make its LDC graduation smooth and sustainable.
The officials of the foreign ministry, quoting a joint statement capping the talks on political economy, also said Bangladesh underscored its time-bound commitment to ensuring labour rights and workplace safety.
Also, Dhaka reiterated, among others, the need for ensuring fair pricing and shared responsibility for elements of compliance, especially in view of the investments being made in the country in safer and greener factories.
Bangladesh and the European Union held their first 'Political Dialogue' on Thursday in Dhaka, where political issues of common concern were discussed in a package of trade privileges on the largest Bangladesh export destination as a bloc.
The Bangladesh delegation at the meet was headed by Md. Shahriar Alam, State Minister for Foreign Affairs, while the EU side was led by Enrique Mora, Deputy Secretary-General of European External Action Service.
The launch of the political dialogue marks a widening of cooperation between the two sides into "strategic and thematic areas of mutual interest and is a landmark" in Bangladesh-EU partnership which will complete 50 years in 2023.
In view of the increasing importance of EU-Bangladesh relations, including in the international domain, the EU proposed to initiate discussions towards concluding 'Partnership Cooperation Agreement (PCA)' with Bangladesh.
As stated, the pact is meant to enhance the dialogue between the two sides on issues of global concern and give more scope for mutually-beneficial cooperation in a wide range of policy and strategic areas.
"The PCA will give Bangladesh-EU relations a new legal foundation, which is more comprehensive and up-to-date and will respond better to current and evolving challenges," reads the joint statement.
The Bangladesh side thanked the EU for mooting the proposal and expressed readiness to engage in discussions towards concluding the deal.
At the meet, both the sides held comprehensive discussions on a wide range of areas of cooperation, while highlighting the shared values of democracy, fundamental freedoms, the rule of law, inclusiveness and respect for human rights.
They appreciated that the EU-Bangladesh ties have deepened over the last fifty years and thus aimed at broadening the engagement beyond the current priority areas of trade, migration, governance, humanitarian action and development cooperation.
According to the joint statement, both sides agreed to step up cooperation in climate action, digital transformation, connectivity, traditional and non-traditional areas of security and agreed that the newly launched Political Dialogue would be held every year, alternately between Dhaka and Brussels, to provide strategic guidance and intensify foreign-and security-policy cooperation.
Both parties underscored that every effort must be made to end the war in Ukraine and emphasised in this context the importance of upholding international law and the UN charter.
They expressed deep concern at the human cost of the war and its impact on the global economy, the statement says.
In the backdrop of the volatile global economic situation, both sides highlighted and prioritized the necessity of enhancing cooperation on food and energy security.
With regard to climate change, both stressed achieving the commitments under the Paris Agreement.
In this respect, the two sides agreed to launch Bangladesh-EU Climate Dialogue at the earliest and also acknowledged the need for international dialogue and action on addressing the issue of human mobility in the context of climate change.
The host side also sought EU's special attention to harnessing the benefits of blue economy and enhancing capability of marine law-enforcing agencies to better address Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated (IUU) fishing.
Connectivity, including regional and sub-regional connectivity, digital connectivity, cyber-security, direct shipping links and logistics, people-to-people contacts (including education, research and innovation) and the important role of the Erasmus+ programme also figured high.
Bangladesh stated its aspiration to become a regional- connectivity hub and, in this regard, invited the EU to actively engage with Bangladesh including under its Global Gateway initiative.
Bangladesh also welcomed the increasing engagement of the European Investment Bank (EIB), focusing on climate action, including renewable energy, modernisation of rail infrastructure, and the health sector.
The two sides also reaffirmed their commitment to countering irregular migration and to continue cooperation on return and reintegration of Bangladesh nationals without authorization to stay in the EU under the Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) concluded in 2017.
On the Rohingya issue, Bangladesh highlighted the potential threat to regional security and stability caused by the prolonged stay of the Rohingyas in Bangladesh and underlined the need for the international community to undertake effective actions to create an environment in Myanmar conducive to their repatriation.
Both sides stressed "voluntary, safe, dignified, and sustainable return" of Rohingyas to Myanmar at the earliest.
On a point of high geopolitical implications, the two sides expressed their commitment to a "free, open, inclusive, peaceful, secure and rules-based Indo-Pacific region with shared prosperity for all".
Also, the meeting underlined the importance of effective and inclusive rules-based multilateralism for tackling current and future global challenges, with the UN at its core, and for ensuring a stable trading environment with the World Trade Organisation (WTO) at its centre, says the joint statement.
It also mentions that Bangladesh and the EU agreed to foster new synergies for jointly contributing to a safer, greener, cleaner, more digital, resilient and stable world, in line with the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
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