Kazakhstan and the European Union expand cooperation

BRUSSELS, January 20, 2020 - The Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Kazakhstan, Mukhtar Tleuberdi, took part in the 17th meeting of the Cooperation Council “Republic of Kazakhstan - European Union”. The European side was represented at the talks by the Minister of Foreign and European Affairs of Croatia, the Presidency of the Council of the EU, Gordan Grdlič Radman.

On the same day, the EU Council decided to complete the ratification of the Agreement on Enhanced Partnership and Cooperation with the Republic of Kazakhstan, which will enter into force in March 2020.

The main focus of the Cooperation Council was focused on discussing the political, trade and economic prospects of cooperation between Kazakhstan and the EU. The parties also exchanged views on the current situation in the world.

Ways and joint efforts to implement the new EU strategies for Central Asia and the interconnectedness of Europe and Asia were discussed.

Representatives of the EU Council expressed their readiness for substantive work with Kazakhstan to implement the provisions of the Agreement in 29 promising areas of cooperation, including issues of international and regional security, trade, investment, infrastructure development, as well as innovation, culture, sports and tourism.

The parties agreed that the expansion of trade, economic and investment cooperation is considered as a priority area of cooperation. A special interest was confirmed in deepening a mutually beneficial partnership in the fields of energy, transport, environment, education and science.

During the negotiations, the parties discussed the preparation of the visit of the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan Kassym-Jomart Tokaev to Brussels, planned and also agreed on the schedule for the upcoming events this year through the cooperation structures of the Republic of Kazakhstan - EU and EU - Central Asia.

At the end of the meeting, the head of the Foreign Ministry of Kazakhstan held a press conference for European media.

The European Union is a key trade and investment partner of Kazakhstan, which accounts for about half of the foreign trade and investment in the economy of our country.

Kazakhstan's foreign trade turnover with the EU countries in January-November 2019 amounted to 28.7 billion US dollars (export - 22.7 billion dollars, import - 6 billion dollars). In 2018, trade amounted to 37.7 billion dollars (export - 31 billion dollars, import - 6.7 billion dollars), in 2017 - 30 billion dollars, in 2016 - 24,1 billion dollars.

Foreign direct investment (FDI) in the first half of 2019 was attracted $ 5.4 billion. FDI in 2018 amounted to $ 11.6 billion.

Kazakhstan became the first country in the Central Asian region to sign the Agreement on Enhanced Partnership and Cooperation with the EU in 2015.