EU-Kazakhstan: New horizons

Anticipating Kazakhstan President Nursultan Nazarbayev's visit to Brussels on 8-9 October, the European Commission is finalizing a new Partnership and Co-operation Agreement (PCA), concluding two decades of co-operation between the European Union and Kazakhstan and opening new perspectives for future endeavours. The EU as the initiator of this agreement seeks to expand the scope of areas of mutual interest supporting the efforts of Kazakhstan for reform and modernization.

"We want to deepen and enrich the relationship," Commission President José Manuel Barroso said. "The negotiations on a new and expanded agreement on partnership and cooperation, which we have initiated is recognising the importance of Kazakhstan to the EU and our strong strategic relationship. The EU is committed to the success and rapid conclusion of these negotiations.''

Both Kazakhstan and the EU have experienced significant political, economic and social changes since the signing of the current PCA in 1995. These changes have triggered a joint decision at political level for upgrading bilateral relations. Negotiations on the enhanced Agreement were formally launched in June 2011. The new agreement will create an enhanced legal basis for Kazakhstan–EU relations, providing a broad framework for reinforced political dialogue, cooperation in home and justice affairs, other sectoral areas and promoting mutual trade and investments, invigorating further mutually beneficial relations.

The PCA will provide for greater and wider areas of cooperation, including economic and financial spheres, energy and transport, environment and agriculture, employment and social affairs, but also education and culture, research and space activities, consumer protection and regional co-operation.

Both partners are equally interested in a new agreement reflecting the commitment to upgrade the relationship, lifting it up to a higher level, although the current intensity of co-operation is more than impressive: the EU accounts for more than 40% of Kazakhstan's total foreign trade. By the end of 2013 the volume of goods exchange between Kazakhstan and the EU exceeded $50 billion, the European companies have invested in economy of Kazakhstan more than $90bn with the Netherlands, United Kingdom, Italy and France in the first ranks. Kazakhstan's energy exports to Europe topped 80%, remaining the forth energy supplier to Germany.

Astana's 'Path to Europe' and the EU Strategy for Central Asia allowed both partners to lay a solid foundation for advanced negotiations to join the WTO, subsequently the growing volume of trade lead to a necessity to facilitate people to people contacts, simplifying visa regime for enhancing the promising projects in economic and humanitarian fields.

Kazakhstan is becoming an increasingly appreciated partner for the EU not only economically, but as a beacon of stability in Central Asia – a model of a secular state with a tradition of religious tolerance.

One of the sections of the Agreement - human rights and respect for the rule of law - which is an integral part of modern society providing open dialogue and political pluralism. A new PCA goes beyond the present agreement, stressing further the commitment of the sides to promote democracy, co-operation in promotion of human rights and rule of law, including through the relevant international human rights instruments.

A new chapter, 'Civil Society Co-operation' will include a commitment to involve public policy making encouraging greater capacity building, independence and transparency of civil society, maintaining it as both creative and vibrant.

Apart from respect for democratic principles and human rights, the principle of rule of law will be a general principle of this agreement. A new title, 'Cooperation in the Area of Justice, Freedom and Security' will be included in the new agreement.

"The new agreement on an enhanced partnership between Kazakhstan and the EU will be comprehensive and reflect the existing mature and equal partnership between Kazakhstan and the EU, based not only on common interests, but also on shared values, on mutual understanding, mutual respect and mutual benefit. It should provide a solid basis for the upgrading of Kazakhstan's co-operation with the EU countries to a higher level, " said the Republic Minister of Foreign Affairs Erlan Idrisov. Kazakhstan is the only country in Central Asia that has held such with the EU. The final round was held in Astana on September 9-12, 2014 - the procedures for its signing and ratification are to follow.

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