Bangladesh, EU sign initial PCA agreement in Brussels

Bangladesh and the European Union have signed the initial Partnership and Cooperation Agreement (PCA). The agreement was signed in Brussels, Belgium, on Monday, April 20, local time.

Foreign Minister Dr Khalilur Rahman and European Commission High Representative Kaja Kallas were present during the signing. Foreign Ministry Secretary Md Nazrul Islam and EU External Action Service Deputy Managing Director Paola Pampaloni signed the agreement.

Prime Minister's Foreign Affairs Adviser Humayun Kabir was also present at the event.

The decision to initiate talks for a new EU-Bangladesh partnership and cooperation agreement was taken on October 25, 2023, in Brussels, in the presence of former prime minister Sheikh Hasina and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen.

The first round of talks for the PCA was scheduled to begin in September 2024. However, the EU postponed the talks considering the situation arising from the anti-discrimination student-public movement in Bangladesh. The EU later decided to sign the PCA with the previous interim government, leading to an informal discussion in Dhaka in November.

The first formal high-level meeting between Bangladesh and the EU on the PCA was held in Brussels in April 2025. Another round of talks was held in Dhaka and Sylhet in January 2026, where both sides finalised the draft of the agreement through discussions.

The PCA is a legally binding agreement that establishes a framework for cooperation between the EU and a partner country. Through the PCA, the EU covers various areas including political dialogue, peace and security, good governance and human rights, trade, economy and financial cooperation with partner countries.