Kazakh Ministry of Foreign Affairs discusses prospects of cooperation with European Parliament

NUR-SULTAN, February 26, 2020 — The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Kazakhstan hosted a meeting with the official delegation of the European Parliament (EP), who were visiting Kazakhstan to participate in the 17th session of the European Union Parliamentary Cooperation Committee. 

The EP delegation included MPs from Bulgaria, Hungary, Germany, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland and France and represented the five political factions of the EP.

The key topics discussed during the negotiations were political, trade and economic prospects for cooperation following the introduction of the Enhanced Partnership and Cooperation Agreement (EPCA) between the Republic of Kazakhstan and the EU, which came into force on March 1, 2020. Particular attention was paid to the implementation of new European Union strategies for Central Asia and the growing cooperation between the two regions. 

Kazakh diplomats called on European politicians to intensify bilateral partnerships within the framework of the EPCA, as well as their support for the launch of the negotiation process between Kazakhstan and the EU to simplify the visa process for citizens of Kazakhstan. If successful, the simplification of the process should increase Kazakhstan’s business, cultural and humanitarian exchanges with European countries.

The head of the EP delegation Fulvio Martusciello praised the parties' agreements on supporting the democratic and socio-economic reforms of President of the Republic of Kazakhstan Kassym-Jomart Tokayev. These agreements were reached following the 17th session of the EU-Kazakhstan Cooperation Council held on January 20, 2020 in Brussels.