Kazakh-EU bilateral trade coop discussed in Brussels

As the press service of the Kazakh Embassy informs, the Euro Commission expressed interest in strengthening bilateral cooperation with Kazakhstan in trade-economic sphere.

In turn, Yerik Utembayev noted that the Euro Commission was considered to be the main trade partner of Kazakhstan. The increasing volume of mutual trade and growing inflow of the EU investments to our country set the best pattern on it. To date trade with the EU makes more than third of Kazakhstan's trade turnover. In January-March 2009 Kazakhstan's foreign trade with the EU made USD 4 708 bln.

Dutch, British, Italian and French companies are the main investors of the Kazakhstan economy. More than half of the direct foreign investments attracted by Kazakhstan fall on the EU member-countries.

Issues of establishment of the Customs Union of Kazakhstan, Russia and Belarus as well as further steps of our country for the WTO accession were discussed. As the Head of the Kazakh Embassy said, creation of the Customs Union was one of long-term priorities of Kazakhstan. Kazakhstan took this decision in accordance with its economic interests - unimpeded entrance to the foreign markets, expansion of trade with the largest neighbor markets, diversification of economy through its transformation into economy of services and technologies.

Touching upon the issue of accession of Kazakhstan, Belarus and Russia to the WTO as a unified customs territory (Customs Union), the Ambassador said that further actions of these countries on joining the WTO were negotiated.