The European Union and Kazakhstan held their 22^nd meeting of the Cooperation Committee on 17 June, in Astana, Kazakhstan. Both parties acknowledged the positive dynamics in EU-Kazakhstan bilateral relations and expressed their commitment to maintain the new momentum created by the first-ever EU-Central Asia Summit held in Samarkand on 4 April 2025. Ways to further enhance the cooperation and to implement the decisions made at the Summit were also discussed.

In the current challenging geopolitical environment, the EU and Kazakhstan exchanged views on topics of common interest. Kazakhstan underlined its principled position in support of the peace, international rules-based order, the UN Charter and its principles and its constructive role at regional and global level. The EU emphasised the need to support Ukraine in its fight for sovereignty and territorial integrity.

The EU and Kazakhstan reviewed their cooperation in the following fields covered by the Enhanced Partnership and Cooperation Agreement: the rule of law, good governance, the protection of human rights, economic developments and reforms, energy, transport, environment, climate action, mobility and people-to-people cooperation, education, science, civil society and regional cooperation.

The EU and Kazakhstan welcomed the upcoming launch of negotiations for a Visa Facilitation Agreement and a Readmission Agreement.

The EU noted the political and socio-economic reforms undertaken under the leadership of President Tokayev and encouraged Kazakhstan to continue the reform path towards a democratic and just society. The two sides discussed ways to achieve further progress in the field of human rights, including ensuring freedom of expression and freedom of media.

The EU is Kazakhstan’s first trading partner and the biggest foreign investor in Kazakhstan. The EU underlined the importance to work towards the diversification of the trade relations and for Kazakhstan to improve the business climate to take full advantage of the economic possibilities under the EU-Kazakhstan Enhanced Partnership and Cooperation Agreement. The EU welcomed the cooperation with the Kazakh Government to prevent sanctions circumvention and encouraged Kazakhstan to continue its efforts in this regard.

The EU and Kazakhstan took stock of continued progress on connectivity, following the launch of the Trans-Caspian Transport Corridor Coordination Platform in Astana on 12 June 2024. The Trans-Caspian Transport Corridor provides an alternative sustainable transport route between Europe and Central Asia, while reinforcing interconnection within Central Asia.

The two sides also discussed cooperation on critical raw materials, energy security, green transition and fighting climate change. Kazakhstan remains a reliable energy supplier for the EU. The EU welcomed the recent selection of the Sarytogan graphite mining project as a strategic project under the EU’s critical raw materials act. The EU also welcomed growing cooperation in education and research and expressed readiness to continue joint work on people-to-people mobility, including by opening up the aviation space. The EU looked forward to the signature of the Horizontal Aviation Agreement as soon as possible, following its initialling in October 2024. 

The Cooperation Committee also discussed EU-Central Asia regional cooperation, including in the field of education, water and environment, rule of law, security, counterterrorism, fighting drug trafficking and border management.

The results of the Cooperation Committee will feed into the EU-Kazakhstan Cooperation Council at ministerial level, to take place in the near future. Both the EU and Kazakhstan confirmed their commitment to continue the close cooperation in the framework of the EPCA.

The meeting was co-chaired by Deputy Foreign Minister of Kazakhstan, Roman Vassilenko, and by Deputy Managing Director for Europe and Central Asia, European External Action Service, Luc Devigne.