The European Union and Kazakhstan strengthened their relationship with new agreements to enhance their ties and logistics.
European Commission Presient Ursula von der Leyen and European Council President António Costa met in Brussels of Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev. The trio signed new agreements to confirm the importance of the Central Asian country to the EU.
Von der Leyen said that Kazakhstan is a “global gateway” and that the EU is “ready to turn that gateway into a pathway for jobs, business opportunities and common prosperity.”
The two parties signed a new Horizontal Aviation Agreement that will allow EU airlines access to Kazakh airspace, benefiting all member states. Kazakhstan also agreed to buy up to 50 Airbus airplanes. Regarding people movement, a new round of successful negotiations opened for a Visa Facilitation Agreement and a Readmission Agreement. Once adopted, the Visa Facilitation Agreement will make it easier for Kazakh citizens to obtain short-stay visas to the EU. At the same time, the Readmission Agreement will help the EU enforce its migration rules.
Outside of air services, Kazakhstan signed a framework loan agreement of up to €150 million with the EU Investment Bank to improve train tracks and roads along the Trans-Caspian Transport Corridor, a crucial gateway path between Europe and Asia that the EU is bolstering to create new, alternative trade routes.
Kazakhstan also signed a memorandum of understanding with the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development to conduct a feasibility study for a new state-of-the-art chemical-analytical laboratory for critical raw materials.
