A meeting between Deputy Foreign Minister of Kazakhstan Roman Vassilenko and the new Chair of the European Parliament Delegation for relations with Central Asia and Mongolia (DCAS), Giusi Princi, took place at the European Parliament. A special briefing was also held for the new composition of DCAS and political advisers from key European Parliament factions, El.kz cites MFA.
Underlining the high level of current cooperation with the EU, Roman Vassilenko emphasized that
“the European Union is one of Kazakhstan’s main trade, economic, and investment partners”.
He focused on the importance of expanding cooperation horizons in the energy, logistics, and transportation sectors. In this context, the new composition of the EP delegation showed particular interest in projects related to the development of the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route and the construction of a green hydrogen production plant.
A significant part of the dialogue was dedicated to cooperation in the field of critical raw materials (CRM). The European side welcomed Kazakhstan’s accession to the “Mineral Security Partnership Forum” and noted the importance of applying advanced technological solutions in this sector.
“Kazakhstan, already an energy partner of the EU in traditional energy sources, is ready to become a reliable supplier of critical minerals as well. We expect European businesses to continue playing an active role in developing cooperation in this area”, stated Roman Vassilenko.
In the discussion of political issues, both sides confirmed their intention to continue developing dialogue on key topics such as the rule of law and human rights protection. Special attention was given to fostering interregional cooperation with Central Asian countries, EU programs in the region, and Kazakhstan’s international initiatives.
Giusi Princi expressed support for the socio-political reforms underway in Kazakhstan, initiated by President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, noting the significant importance of these transformations both for the country's development and in a broader international context. Furthermore, support was voiced for joint projects, including those in the education sector (Erasmus+ and Horizon), as well as simplifying and liberalizing visa procedures for Kazakh citizens to enhance business, cultural, and humanitarian cooperation.
MEPs also highlighted the importance of the democratic decision made by the people of Kazakhstan in the nationwide referendum regarding the construction of a nuclear power plant, which in the future will open additional areas of cooperation in the energy sector.
In Brussels, Roman Vassilenko also met with Luc Devigne, Deputy Managing Director of the European External Action Service. The two sides discussed political, trade, economic, and cultural-humanitarian relations in detail. In particular, plans were outlined for implementing agreements reached during the 21st Kazakhstan-EU Cooperation Council meeting at the foreign ministers' level, held on October 14, 2024, in Luxembourg, between Kazakhstan's Foreign Minister Murat Nurtleu and Hungary’s Péter Szijjártó, representing the EU presidency.
Given the broad agenda, both parties focused on key areas for implementing the Enhanced Partnership and Cooperation Agreement between Kazakhstan and the EU, emphasizing the simplification of EU visa requirements for Kazakh citizens, cooperation under the CRM roadmap, and identifying new areas for collaboration.
The European diplomat stressed that, given the established trust-based dialogue between the two sides, Brussels is ready to continue developing multifaceted, productive cooperation with Astana across the full range of relations.