Bangladesh and the European Union have agreed to work intensively to conclude negotiations on the Comprehensive Partnership and Cooperation Agreement (PCA) as soon as possible.

The consensus was reached during the third round of PCA talks, held virtually on October 9–10. Bangladesh was represented by Foreign Ministry Secretary (Bilateral) Dr. Md. Nazrul Islam, while the EU side was led by Paola Pampaloni, Acting Managing Director at the European External Action Service (EEAS).

Once finalized, the PCA will provide a comprehensive legal framework for future Bangladesh-EU relations, covering political dialogue, trade, investment, and development cooperation. Bangladesh will be the first South Asian country to sign such an agreement with the EU.

The discussions covered a wide range of issues including governance, human rights, climate change, education, migration, and security. Both sides reaffirmed their commitment to a balanced, forward-looking partnership and made progress in narrowing differences on key provisions.

The fourth round of negotiations is expected to take place in Dhaka at a mutually agreed date.