Enhancing cooperation between CSOs in the European Union and Kazakhstan

Background

Partnership with the EU remains a cornerstone of Kazakhstan’s foreign policy which has been demonstrated by a number of acts. It is the first country in the Central Asian region to sign the Enhanced Partnership and Cooperation Agreement (EPCA) with the EU which fostered deeper collaboration in key sectors such as trade, investment, energy, agriculture and connectivity. The EU is Kazakhstan's largest trading partner, including significant exports of energy resources and imports of machinery and equipment. Additionally, Kazakhstan’s strategic role extends to critical raw materials (CRM), as it has 33 of the 34 elements identified in the European Commission’s Critical Raw Materials Act. To this end, on 7 November 2022 a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed between the EU and Kazakhstan regarding a strategic partnership in the field of raw materials, batteries and renewable hydrogen, with the objective of stepping up cooperation in this field.

This opinion focuses on strengthening cooperation between the EU and Kazakhstan, particularly in areas of concern to organised civil society, considering the priorities and opportunities resulting from the implementation of the New EU Strategy on Central Asia and the Global Gateway initiative.

Key points

In the opinion the EESC:

• Firmly believes that relations between organised civil society in the EU and Kazakhstan can develop in a structured way on the basis of an Action Plan, with several priorities and in line with the objectives of the New EU Strategy for Central Asia. The Action Plan’s priorities should be:
• Establishing structures for cooperation with Central Asian civil society, on the model of existing Civil Society Platforms with other areas of the world
• Involving civil society organisations to promote the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the EU and Kazakhstan
• Supporting the development of civil society in Kazakhstan by increasing the educational opportunities for young Kazakhs through the Erasmus programme
• Supporting the development and consolidation of civil society in Kazakhstan by creating an experience exchange programme for civil servants in the administration and staff in the judicial system in the country, with the involvement of the European Institute of Public Administration in Maastricht and the European Centre for Judges and Lawyers in Luxembourg;
• Supports the development of civic and social dialogue in Central Asia and advocates for it to be formalised, along the lines of the good practices in relations with organised civil society of other regions, like the Western Balkans.

Additional Information

• EESC section: External Relations (REX)
• Opinion number: REX/587
• Opinion type: Own-initiative
• Rapporteur: Dumitru FORNEA, (Workers, - GR II/Romania)
• Date of adoption by the section: 11/02/2025
• Date of adoption in plenary: 26-27 March 2025
• Result of the vote in plenary: 147 in favour/0 against/3 abstentions

Contact

Millie Tsoumani

Press Officer, Tel.: +32 (0) 2 546 9088, Email: Amalia.tsoumani@eesc.europa.eu

Daniele Vitali

Policy Officer, Tel.:+32 (2) 546 8817, Email: Daniele.Vitali@eesc.europa.eu