Kazakhstan–European Union relations

European Union–Kazakhstan relations are the international relations between the Republic of Kazakhstan and the common foreign policy and trade relations of the European Union.

European Union–Kazakhstan relations

EU
Kazakhstan

The EU is Kazakhstan's main economic partner. Over 50% of the country's foreign trade accounts for the EU. 48% of Kazakhstan's inward investment originates in the EU countries.[1]

Comparison
 European Union  Kazakhstan
Population 447,206,135[2] 18,708,352
Area 4,324,782 km2 (1,669,808 sq mi)[3] 2,724,900 km2 (1,052,100 sq mi)
Population Density 115/km² (300/sq mi) 7/km2 (18.1/sq mi)
Capital Brussels (de facto) Nur-Sultan
Global Cities Paris, Rome, Berlin, Vienna, Madrid, Amsterdam, Athens, Dublin, Helsinki, Warsaw, Lisbon, Stockholm, Copenhagen, Praha, Bucharest, Nicosia, Budapest, Tallinn, Sofia, Riga, Ljubljana, Bratislava, Vilnius, Zagreb Nur-Sultan, Almaty, Aktobe, Kostanay, Karaganda, Atyrau, Pavlodar, Taraz, Jezkazgan, Kyzylorda, Semey, Ekibastuz, Shymkent, Arkalyk, Zhanaozen, Ridder, Temirtau, Stepnogorsk
Government Supranational parliamentary democracy based on the European treaties[4] Unitary dominant-party presidential constitutional republic
First Leader High Authority President Jean Monnet President Nursultan Nazarbayev
Current Leader Council President Charles Michel
Commission President Ursula von der Leyen		 President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev
Prime Minister Askar Mamin
Official languages 24 official languages, of which 3 considered "procedural" (English, French and German)[5] Kazakh
Main Religions 72% Christianity (48% Roman Catholicism, 12% Protestantism,
8% Eastern Orthodoxy, 4% Other Christianity),
23% non-Religious, 3% Other, 2% Islam		 70.2% Muslims
26.3% Christians
3.5% others
Ethnic groups Germans (ca. 80 million), French (ca. 67 million),
Italians (ca. 60 million), Spanish (ca. 47 million), Poles (ca. 46 million),
Romanians (ca. 16 million), Dutch (ca. 13 million), Greeks (ca. 11 million),
Portuguese (ca. 11 million), and others		 65.5% Kazakh, 21.5% Russian, 3.0% Uzbek, 1.8% Ukrainian, 1.4% Uyghur, 1.2% Tatar,

1.1% German, 4.5% others

GDP (nominal) $16.477 trillion, $31,801 per capita $179.332 billion, $9,686 per capita

Partnership and Cooperation Agreement

EU-Kazakhstan bilateral relations are guided by the 1994 Partnership and Cooperation Agreement (PCA).[6] Enhancements to Kazakhstan's partnership and cooperation with the European Union and its member states were ratified by the Kazakh Parliament in March 2016.[7] The European Parliament ratified the agreement on December 12, 2017.[8] 511 of 654 present European parliament members voted in favor of ratification.[9] Eighteen EU member states have ratified the Enhanced Partnership and Cooperation Agreement (EPCA) with Kazakhstan.[8] Kazakhstan is the first Central Asian country to conclude the EPCA with the EU.[10] The EPCA governs trade and economic relations between the EU and Kazakhstan.[11]

Kazakhstan is also part of EU and Central Asia Strategy for a New Partnership.[12]

Cooperation Council

The Cooperation Council between Kazakhstan and the European Union meets annually and is the body to carry out the bilateral Partnership and Cooperation Agreement.[13] The Cooperation Council and Kazakhstan discuss many issues of mutual importance such as political, judiciary and economic reforms, the rule of law, trade and economic relations, and regional stability.[14]

During the 15th session held on October 4, 2016, the Council welcomed the Enhanced Partnership and Cooperation Agreement.[15]

Trade

Since 2002, the EU has grown to become Kazakhstan's largest trading partner [16], being the destination of 40% of its exports. Those exports were primarily, 80%, oil and gas in 2007. In 2007 EU imports of goods from Kazakhstan amounted to €13.35 billion and services amounted to €1.52 billion. EU exports to Kazakhstan were €6.04 billion in goods and €1.92 billion in services. Half of Kazakhstan's $7.3 billion of foreign direct investment in 2006 came from the EU. As a major energy supplier to the EU, the EU supports its accession to the World Trade Organization.

In 2014 more than half of Kazakhstan’s total trade is with the EU—some $53.4 billion in 2013 and $28.4 billion in the first half of 2014.[16] More than half of Kazakhstan's gross foreign direct investment, or nearly $100 billion, has come from EU countries.[16] Trade to the EU was worth EUR 31 billion (36%). The EU is also the largest foreign investor in Kazakhstan, representing over 50% of FDI in Kazakhstan (2014).[17]

Kazakhstan's exports to the EU are heavily dominated by energy, and exports from the EU are dominated by machinery and transport equipment, as well as products within the manufacturing and chemicals sectors.[18]

In bilateral meetings with British Prime Minister David Cameron in London, Kazakhstan President Nazarbayev signed 46 treaties worth over USD 13 billion in trade value.[19]

Foreign Direct Investment

More than 50% of foreign direct investment (FDI) in Kazakhstan originates from the countries of the European Union. The largest sources of FDI out of the EU member states are the Netherlands ($90.4 billion), Switzerland ($25.8 billion), France ($16.1 billion), Italy ($8.7 billion), Belgium ($7.6 billion), and Germany ($5.2 billion).[20]

Cooperation

The Partnership and Cooperation Agreement (PCA) with Kazakhstan has been the legal framework for EU–Kazakhstan bilateral relations since it entered into force in 1999. In November 2006 a Memorandum of Understanding on cooperation in the field of energy between the EU and Kazakhstan has been signed establishing the basis for enhanced cooperation. Kazakhstan recognizes increased economic and political integration as key to its modernization and development.[21]

The future European Commission assistance will focus on the following priority areas: promotion of the ongoing reform process at political, economic, judiciary and social level, infrastructure building, and cooperation in the energy sector.

The overall EU co-operation objectives, policy responses and priority fields for Central Asia can be found in the EC Regional Strategy Paper for Central Asia 2007–2013. In addition to the assistance under the Development Cooperation Instrument (DCI), Kazakhstan participates in several ongoing regional programs.[22]

The Cooperation Council between the European Union (EU) and Kazakhstan held its fourteenth meeting on Tuesday, March 3, 2015.[23] The meeting was chaired by Kazakhstan's Foreign Minister Erlan A. Idrissov, and the EU delegation was led by Latvia's Foreign Minister Edgars Rinkēvičs. The EU reiterated its support for the membership of the Republic of Kazakhstan of the WTO.[23]

In 2014, Kazakhstan became the first Central Asian country to join the Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM).[24]

A conference was held in Astana titled “25 Years of European Union – Central Asia Relations: From the Past to the Future" where EU Special Representative for Central Asia Ambassador Peter Burian affirmed the European Union's financial and political commitment to Kazakhstan and the Central Asia region.[25]

The EU launched in November 2019 three programmes promoting regional integration in Central Asia. The programmes' budget amounts to 28 million euros ($30.8 million). They will support the rule of law, trade, investment and growth in the region in keeping with the new EU Strategy for Central Asia.[26]

Cooperation in green economy

In 2015, the European Union and Kazakhstan launched a Project on Supporting Kazakhstan’s transition towards Green Economy model. The project is funded by the European Union and is implemented by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) as the lead organization, in partnership with UNECE.[27]

The overall objective of the Project is to contribute to Kazakhstan’s long-term environmental sustainability and inclusive economic development, supporting the country's transition to a Green Economy Model.[27]

Human Rights Dialogue

In April 2008, Kazakhstan and the EU marked an agreement to begin human rights dialogue. Human Rights Dialogues are an instrument of the EU’s external policy and are designed to discuss questions of mutual interest and enhance cooperation on human rights, as well as launch initiatives to improve the relevant human rights situation. In line with this agreement, the EU held its first structured dialogues on human rights with Kazakhstan in October 2008.[28]

The European Union provides economic and technical assistance to Kazakhstan through the European Instrument for Democracy and Human Rights (EIDHR).[29] The EU budgets €1 million per year for a variety of projects in Kazakhstan that support Kazakhstan's ongoing legal reforms and strengthening the role of civil society.[29]

EU membership

Kazakhstan has a westward extension, which makes a strong case geographically for its European status, and potential for eventual EU membership.[30] In 2009, the ambassador of Kazakhstan to Russia, Adilbek Dzhaksybekov said "We would like to join in the future the European Union, but to join not as Estonia and Latvia, but as an equal partner".[31] This statement was about a long term perspective, because currently Kazakhstan is not even participating in the European Neighbourhood Policy (ENP) although the Kazakh Foreign Ministry has expressed interest in the ENP. MEP Charles Tannock has suggested Kazakhstan's inclusion in the ENP, while emphasizing that "there are still concerns regarding democracy and human rights in Kazakhstan".[30]

Cooperation in judicial sphere

Kazakhstan and the EU launched a three-year project titiled "Enhancing Criminal Justice in Kazakhstan" (EUCJ) in October 2015. The total budget of the project allocated by the EU was 5.5 million euros.[32] The EUCJ sought to promote the rule of law and reform Kazakhstan’s judiciary system. At the conference marking the completion of the project, EUCJ Strategic Director Bill Mazer noted: “All of the project’s objectives... were fulfilled ahead of time.”[33]

Culture and education

Kazakh cultural centre Til Kazyna (Culture is treasure) opened in Brussels, Belgium in June 2020.[34] The new center was established to promote cultural exchange and cooperation through providing language classes, organizing various seminars and workshops on Kazakh art and cuisine.

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References
  1. "Kazakhstan-EU relations entering a new stage". Euractive.
  2. "Population on 1 January". Eurostat. European Commission. Retrieved 9 March 2015.
  3. "Field Listing – Area". The World Factbook. Central Intelligence Agency. Retrieved 9 March 2015.
  4. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on January 21, 2015. Retrieved 2015-01-21.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  5. "European Commission - PRESS RELEASES - Press release - Frequently asked questions on languages in Europe". europa.eu. Retrieved 2017-06-24.
  6. "EU-Kazakhstan relations - Factsheet". europa.eu. European Union. Retrieved 23 February 2016.
  7. "Kazakh parliament ratifies accord on broadening partnership with EU". Interfax.
  8. "MEPs overwhelmingly ratify EU-Kazakhstan landmark partnership agreement". EURACTIV.com.
  9. "EP approves EU-Kazakhstan enhanced partnership agreement". The Astana Times.
  10. "MEPs overwhelmingly ratify EU-Kazakhstan landmark partnership agreement". www.euractiv.com.
  11. "Kazakhstan". ec.europa.eu/.
  12. "EU - Kazakhstan". European Council Newsroom. Archived from the original on 2016-04-12. Retrieved 2016-03-30.
  13. "Kazakhstan's Deepening Ties with Europe". CACI Analyst.
  14. "EU-Kazakhstan: first Cooperation Council since signature of the enhanced partnership and cooperation agreement". New Europe. European Council.
  15. "EU-Kazakhstan: first Cooperation Council since signature of the enhanced partnership and cooperation agreement". www.consilium.europa.eu.
  16. Nazarbayev, Nursultan. "The Next Chapter in Kazakhstan-EU Relations. Bolstering development and trade through a new partnership agreement". Wall Street Journal.
  17. "EU-Kazakhstan relations - Factsheet". europa.eu. Retrieved 23 February 2016.
  18. "EU-Kazakhstan bilateral trade and economic relations". European Commission.
  19. "President of Kazakhstan Nursultan Nazarbayev and UK Prime Minister David Cameron participate in the II Session of the Kazakh-British Intergovernmental Commission (IGC) on Trade and Economic Cooperation".
  20. "Kazakhstan attracts $330 billion FDI since 1991". astanatimes.com.
  21. "Kazakh president discusses co-operation expansion with Commission". Eureporter.
  22. European Union and Kazakhstan Archived 2009-04-07 at the Wayback Machine. European Commission: External Relations
  23. "Fourteenth meeting of the Cooperation Council between the European Union and Kazakhstan". European Council Council of the European Union.
  24. "ASEM - Kazakhstan page". ASEM.
  25. "Ambassador Peter Burian Speech". European Union Delegation to the Republic of Kazakhstan.
  26. "EU launches three new programmes in Central Asia". astanatimes.com.
  27. "Supporting Kazakhstan's transition towards Green Economy model". www.unece.org.
  28. "EU human rights dialogues in Central Asia" (PDF). eeas.europa.eu.
  29. "Projects in Kazakhstan". European External Action Service.
  30. Kazakhstan, Speech delivered by Charles Tannock in the plenary of the European Parliament on 16 March 2005.
  31. "Kazakhstan expects to become European Union member". Trend. 24 April 2009.
  32. "Support to judicial reform in Kazakhstan". ec.europa.eu.
  33. "Kazakhstan completes three-year, EU-backed project to reform criminal justice system". astanatimes.com.
  34. "Kazakh Cultural Center Opens Its Doors For First Time In Brussels". The Astana Times.
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