European Parliament Supports Parliamentary Reforms in Kazakhstan

 European Parliament Supports Parliamentary Reforms in Kazakhstan

A conference titled *"Kazakhstan and the European Union: Building the Next Chapter of a Strategic Partnership"* was held today at the European Parliament.

The event was organized by Andrey Kovatchev, a member of the European Parliament’s largest political group, the European People's Party.

Opening the roundtable, Mr. Kovatchev highlighted the strategic nature of the EU–Central Asia partnership, the dynamically evolving agenda of bilateral cooperation, and the positive progress of democratic reforms.

In his speech, the Ambassador of the Republic of Kazakhstan to Belgium, Roman Vassilenko, briefed members of the European Parliament on the outcomes of President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev's talks with European Council President António Costa and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen. Both sides reaffirmed their shared commitment to further deepening cooperation under the Enhanced Partnership and Cooperation Agreement (EPCA).

 "As President Tokayev noted in Brussels, Kazakhstan highly values the European Union’s unwavering support for the political reform agenda in Kazakhstan, as well as the constructive dialogue on the rule of law, human rights, and good governance," the Kazakh diplomat emphasized. "Consequently, the main political takeaway of the visit is obvious: Kazakhstan and the European Union increasingly see each other not just as reliable partners, but as strategic partners with a shared long-term agenda."

Economic and Transport Connectivity

Ambassador Vassilenko added that a particularly significant outcome was the mutual focus on the growing role of the *Trans-Caspian International Transport Route (TITR). Kazakhstan welcomes the European Union’s increasing involvement in this area, notably through the *Global Gateway initiative.

As the largest economy with the biggest landmass in Central Asia, Kazakhstan forms the core of the Trans-Caspian transport corridor, also known as the *Middle Corridor. Today, the Middle Corridor is emerging as one of the most vital and dynamically expanding transport routes between Asia and Europe. Over the past six years, cargo volume along the TITR has increased fivefold, reaching approximately **4.1 million tons annually*, demonstrating the corridor's growing appeal for international trade and supply chains.

The visit also yielded substantial and highly tangible results in the economic sphere:

The Kazakhstan–EU Business Roundtable in Brussels demonstrated that political understanding is translating into concrete economic outcomes.
During the visit, *over 30 commercial agreements* were signed, totaling more than *$12 billion (€10.6 billion)*.
Following the conference, *four additional agreements* in transport and logistics worth *$462 million (€407 million)* were concluded to strengthen the Middle Corridor.

Another critical area of mutual interest is critical raw materials. The leaders of Kazakhstan and the EU committed to advancing the Roadmap for the implementation of the Strategic Partnership on Sustainable Raw Materials, Batteries, and Renewable Hydrogen Value Chains.

Human Dimension and Mobility

In the humanitarian and cultural spheres, the visit underscored the growing importance of people-to-people ties:

* *Education & Science:* Kazakhstan highly values cooperation under the *Erasmus+* program, which has built long-term networks of trust between societies. Equal importance is placed on collaboration in science, research, and innovation through the *Horizon Europe* program.
* *Visa Facilitation:* The sides announced the successful conclusion of negotiations at the technical level on the *Visa Facilitation Agreement* and the *Readmission Agreement*. This shift will ease travel, support academic exchanges, and boost business contacts.
* *Aviation:* The signing of the *Horizontal Aviation Agreement* aims to expand traffic rights. Under this agreement, any EU airline will be able to fly between Kazakhstan and any of the 17 EU member states that already have bilateral agreements with Kazakhstan, removing previous restrictions that limited access to specific national carriers.

Moving to Implementation

"The Kazakh leader's visit to Brussels was a success. Its political signal was powerful, economic outcomes were substantial, and humanitarian value was evident. However, the true measure of success will be implementation," Ambassador Vassilenko noted.

The Ambassador requested legislative support from the European Parliament to expedite two key processes:

1. *The Horizontal Aviation Agreement:* The text will be submitted to the European Parliament for consent, and the Kazakh side hopes internal procedures will be completed swiftly.
2. *Visa Facilitation and Readmission Agreements:* Following the successful conclusion of text negotiations, timely progress on the European side is anticipated to benefit students, researchers, and the business community.

 Expert Assessments

Marat Terterov, President of the Brussels Press Club, remarked that the past week was effectively "Kazakhstan Week." He noted that bilateral relations are developing dynamically, adding that the total volume and number of signed contracts are "truly impressive."

On the eve of June 24, the European Parliament's Delegation for relations with Central Asia (DCAS) also discussed the results of President Tokayev’s visit.

The Chair of DCAS, Giusi Princi, highly praised the outcomes of the Kazakh leader's visit:

"The Delegation for relations with Central Asia, which I have the honor to chair, has already witnessed firsthand how Kazakhstan is increasingly engaging in processes aimed at democracy, respect for human rights, and major constitutional reforms. Therefore, the results of the March referendum stand as the greatest testament to democracy in Kazakhstan, a country that is opening up more and more to Europe," said Ms. Princi.

Sergey Lagodinsky, a Member of the European Parliament from Germany, also praised the outcomes of the negotiations between Kazakhstan and the European Union, putting a special emphasis on the new horizons for cooperation in the transport sector.