Azerbaijan, EU discuss transport, tourism co-op

Azerbaijan and the European Union have discussed cooperation in the tourism and transport sectors.

The discussion took place during the meeting between Azerbaijan's Digital Development and Transport Minister Rashad Nabiyev and Andris Ameriks, member of the European Parliament, Vice-Chair of the Committee on Transport and Tourism.

During the meeting, the parties noted that relations between Azerbaijan and the European Union are developing dynamically. They emphasized that there is great potential for cooperation in various fields, including digitalization and transport.

Moreover, the sides exchanged views on proposals to establish closer ties.

The EU and Azerbaijan have cooperation in different sectors of the economy. The EU invested over $21.5 billion in Azerbaijan’s economy from 2012 to 2021. Azerbaijan’s trade turnover with the EU amounted to $9.3 billion last year, which is 38 percent of the country’s foreign trade. The Delegation of the European Commission to Azerbaijan was opened in Baku in February 2008.

Azerbaijan started commercial gas supplies to Europe through the Trans-Adriatic Pipeline (TAP) on December 31, 2020.

A joint statement on energy cooperation with the EU was signed more than ten years ago. The EU-Azerbaijan energy cooperation had reached a new level and is still ongoing within the framework of the Southern Gas Corridor. The EU places a high value on energy supply diversification, and the Southern Gas Corridor is particularly important in this regard. In 2021, European countries purchased 8.2 billion cubic meters of gas, with an increase in volume expected in the coming years.