The European Union has called for a level playing field for its businesses and investors in Bangladesh, highlighting the proposed purchase of Airbus aircraft as an example, as Dhaka reported progress in resolving trade barriers raised by the bloc.
An EU delegation raised the issue with ministers and senior officials at a meeting at the Ministry of Commerce on Sunday, when the Bangladesh side briefed 27 EU representatives on progress in addressing the non-tariff barriers (NTBs).
The two sides also discussed a free trade agreement and EU support for Bangladesh's request to defer its LDC graduation.
"We have so far addressed 48 of the 61 identified non-tariff barriers (NTBs), while 13 remain at various stages of resolution," Commerce Minister Khandakar Abdul Muktadir told a joint press briefing following the meeting.
The two sides also discussed a free trade agreement and EU support for Dhaka's request to defer its LDC graduation.
State Minister for Planning Jonaed Abdur Rahim Saki, Ambassador and Head of the EU Delegation to Bangladesh Michael Miller, NBR Chairman Ahsan Habib and Commerce Secretary Md Ataur Rahman Khan were also present at the press briefing.
Adviser to the Ministry of Finance and Planning Rashed Al Mahmud Titumir, State Minister for Foreign Affairs Shama Obaed, Finance Secretary Md Khairuzzaman Mozumder and senior officials from the ministries of commerce and foreign affairs were present at the meeting with the EU delegation.
The commerce minister said Bangladesh had already resolved 48 of the 61 trade barriers identified by the EU, while the remaining 13 were at different stages of resolution.
He said the government had worked with several ministries and agencies, including the National Board of Revenue (NBR) and the ministries of agriculture, fisheries and livestock, and shipping, to address the EU's concerns over the NTBs.
The minister said Bangladesh was also preparing to begin negotiations with the EU for a free trade agreement (FTA), describing the issue as strategically important as the EU is Bangladesh's largest export market.
He also sought EU support for Bangladesh's request to defer its LDC graduation by three years.
Bangladesh has already secured recommendations from the UN Committee for Development Policy (CDP) and the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), and the matter is expected to be placed before the 81st session of the UN General Assembly, he said.
"EU support is very important for us in this process," he said, adding that strong support from the European Union would play an important role for Bangladesh.
Explaining some of the measures taken to remove the trade barriers, he said restrictions on the renewal of licences for 100-per-cent foreign-owned logistics companies had been removed.
The annual limit for the import of samples by exporters and businesses had also been doubled to $20,000 from $10,000 through the latest Import Policy Order, he added.
The government had also revised the customs valuation of smart cards used for product traceability, introducing two categories based on their actual value instead of applying duties to an artificially higher value, according to the minister.
However, the requirement to obtain a government no-objection certificate (NOC) 15 days before importing or exporting goods under the country's flag-vessel protection law remains unresolved.
The law requires 50 per cent of Bangladesh's imports and exports to be carried by Bangladeshi-owned vessels.
The minister said Bangladesh currently had around 122 vessels, including seven operated by Bangladesh Shipping Corporation and about 115 privately owned vessels, which were insufficient to carry half of the country's roughly $130 billion annual two-way trade.
He said the government would seek to resolve the issue by amending the relevant law.
EU envoy Michael Miller said the EU wanted to further deepen economic and political relations with Bangladesh.
He stressed the need to ensure a level playing field for EU businesses and investors operating in Bangladesh, citing the proposed purchase of Airbus aircraft as an example.
He also highlighted the first round of negotiations on a Bangladesh-EU FTA as an important step in strengthening bilateral economic ties.
The EU ambassador called for greater cooperation in areas including border management, intellectual property rights and human rights.
Replying to questions on Bangladesh's trade relations with the United States, the commerce minister said the government evaluated purchases from different countries on their own merits, rather than solely on the basis of headline prices.
He cited Bangladesh's planned purchase of LNG from a US company as an example, saying the company had offered 117 cargoes through 2038 at an average price of around $9 per unit, based on the index applicable when the cabinet committee approved the deal.
He also said Bangladesh imported wheat from the US because its wastage rate was lower than that of wheat sourced from some other countries, making it economically beneficial when the full cost was considered.
"We try to apply our best judgement based on the merits of each purchase, whether it is from the US, the EU, China, India, or elsewhere," he said.
The EU is Bangladesh's largest trading partner, with bilateral trade in goods reaching €23.3 billion in 2025.
Currently, Bangladesh enjoys a substantial trade surplus with the bloc, largely driven by garment exports. The EU imported nearly 94 per cent of its goods from Bangladesh in textiles in 2025.
As an LDC, Bangladesh currently enjoys duty-free and quota-free market access to the EU under the Everything But Arms (EBA) scheme, a key advantage for the country's export-oriented economy.
