World Monitor Magazine April 2017 | Page 24

Invest to kazakhstan Future of EU & Kazakhstan cooperation The European Union and Kazakhstan have been partners since the Republic gained independence, conducting an ever-expanding mutual dialogue. During the first years of cooperation, this dialogue was focused on trade and investment issues, but since 2002 it began to cover other important areas, such as energy, transportation, justice, law and order, and political interchange in the field of common interests. Traian Laurenţiu Hristea, Ambassador, Head of the European Union Delegation to Kazakhstan The main document that provides the basis for the partnership between the EU and Kazakhstan is the Enhanced Partnership and Cooperation Agreement (EPCA) signed on 21 December 2015 in Astana. cooperation in 29 key areas, including economic and financial cooperation, energy, transport, environment and climate change, employment, social issues, culture and education, and scientific research. Negotiations on the new Enhanced Partnership and Cooperation Agreement between the EU and the Republic of Kazakhstan started back on 27 June 2011 in Brussels. The new agreement also leads to the enhancement of cooperation in the field of foreign policy, national security, especially in the areas of regional stability, non-proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, international cooperation in combating terrorism, preventing conflicts and resolving crises. Since then, eight rounds of negotiations expanding the agreement between the European Union and Kazakhstan were held. A ceremony was officiated on October 9, 2014 in Brussels to signify the conclusion of the Protocol on completion of negotiations on the Enhanced Partnership and Cooperation Agreement (EPCA) between the European Union and the Republic of Kazakhstan signed by the President of the European Commission, J.M. Barroso, and the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan, N.A. Nazarbayev. A ceremony initiating the Enhanced Partnership and Cooperation Agreement between the EU and the Republic of Kazakhstan was initiated on 20 January 2015. Since 1 May 2016, the provisional implementation of the main articles of this agreement commenced. This agreement ensures a significant strengthening of economic and political relations between the EU and Kazakhstan, as well as 22 world monitor The enhanced PCA is an important milestone for the further development of relations and strong partnership between the EU, its member states and Kazakhstan. At the regional level, Kazakhstan is a priority country within the framework of updated EU Strategy for Central Asia. In June 2012, the European Council and European Commission published their Joint Report on the implementation of the EU Strategy for Central Asia. The updated Strategy intends to strengthen the interaction with Central Asia countries and a significant increase in financial support of more than eur 1 billion for programs to be implemented in this region during 2014-2020. Trade and economic relations A close trade and economic partnership has developed between the European Union (EU)