Cooperation of the Republic of Kazakhstan with the Council of Europe
Kazakhstan has been cooperating with the Council of Europe (CoE) and its structures since 1997. While not a member of the CoE, Kazakhstan has the opportunity to participate in its partial extended agreements, which allow countries and international organizations outside the Council to engage with member states on specific issues of relevance to them.
Kazakhstan fully participates in two partial agreements of the CoE - the European Commission for Democracy through Law (Venice Commission, since 2012) and the Group of States against Corruption (GRECO, since 2020).
Kazakhstan is a party to four CoE conventions: "On the Recognition of Qualifications concerning Higher Education in the European Region" (No. 165), "European Cultural Convention" (No. 018); "On Laundering, Search, Seizure and Confiscation of the Proceeds from Crime " (No. 141); "On Mutual Administrative Assistance in Tax Matters" (No. 127).
Since 2018, Kazakhstan has had international observer status with the "Consultative Council of European Judges" (CCJE) and the "European Commission for the Efficiency of Justice" (CEPEJ).
Cooperation between the Republic of Kazakhstan and PACE is realized on the basis of the Agreement signed in 2004, according to which the delegation of the Senate of the Parliament of the Republic of Kazakhstan participates in plenary and visiting sessions of PACE.
Main events and activities in bilateral cooperation.
December 19, 2013, Ambassador of the Republic of Kazakhstan to Belgium A. Khamzaev and CoE Representative in Brussels T. Froysnes signed a Joint Declaration on enhancing cooperation between the Republic of Kazakhstan and the CoE, which officially announced the adoption of the Action Plan - "Priorities of Good Neighborly Cooperation for Kazakhstan for 2014-2018: Cooperation on CoE Criminal Conventions". During the implementation period of the Program Kazakhstan acceded to three CoE legal instruments in the field of criminal proceedings.
In 2017, based on the CoE's recommendations, a Mediation Center in Criminal Matters was opened. Assistance was provided to the CoE regarding the reform of the Bar and improvement of the National Preventive Mechanism.
On January 15, 2020, the Executive Secretary of GRECO, G. Esposito, paid a visit to the Republic of Kazakhstan. During the meeting with the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan K. Tokayev, the head of GRECO noted that Kazakhstan's membership in GRECO would continue to promote not only the principles and mechanisms of the fight against corruption but also to improve the business climate, increase the efficiency of public services.
On September 21, 2020, the delegation of Kazakhstan headed by the First Deputy Chairman of the Anti-Corruption Agency O. Bektenov for the first time took part in the opening of the plenary session of GRECO in the VTC format.
On August 13, 2020 by the Decree of the Head of State, the diplomatic mission of the Republic of Kazakhstan to the CoE was transformed into the Consulate General of the Republic of Kazakhstan in Strasbourg.
In March 2022, a formal request was submitted for our country's intention to accede to the Criminal Law Convention on Corruption (No. 173). Kazakhstan's request was positively considered at the meeting of the Committee of Ministers on June 30, 2022, with the invitation valid until June 2027.
For accession to the Convention on Cybercrime (No. 185, Budapest Convention) on October 11-12, 2022 in Astana, effectively held consultations with experts of the CoE and on November 21, 2022 submitted an official application. The invitation to accede the convention had been received in April, 2023 and is valid for 5 years.
An important area of work is cooperation within the framework of the Venice Commission (VC). The Commission provides expert and advisory assistance in reforming the legal institutions of the Republic of Kazakhstan. Recommendations of the Commission provided substantial assistance in the development of drafts of the Criminal Code and Criminal Procedure Code of the Republic of Kazakhstan, as well as the Code of Judicial Ethics. The Commission has established close contacts with the Constitutional Council, the Commissioner for Human Rights, the Ministry of Justice, the Supreme Court and the Central Election Commission of the Republic of Kazakhstan. I. Rogov was appointed as a member of the Venice Commission from the Republic of Kazakhstan, and his deputy - U. Shapak.
On October 4-5, 2023, the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Kazakhstan R. Vasilenko during his visit to the CoE held a number of meetings with the leadership of the organization and spoke at the meeting of the Rapporteur Group on External Relations (GR-EXT) of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe (CMCE). At the meeting of GR-EXT were adopted new Priorities of good-neighborly cooperation of the CoE with Kazakhstan for 2024-2027.