Customs Union formation to bring Kazakh-EU relations to new level - Victor Andres Maldonado

Kazakh Vice Minister of Industry and Trade Zhanar Aitzhanova headed the Kazakh side, Head of Unit for Central Asia in the European Commission's Directorate General for External Relations Victor Andres Maldonado - the EU delegation.

As the session participants noted, the task lied in discussion of the current issues and prospects of cooperation of Kazakhstan with the EU in the sphere of trade, investments, energy and transport.

As Zhanar Aitzhanova noted, the issues of bilateral trade and investment relations, Kazakhstan's awarding the status of the country with market economy, the issues of taxation, banking system of Kazakhstan, cooperation in the sphere of energy, transport and environmental protection and Kazakhstan's accession to the World Trade Organization were discussed.

But the topic of upcoming Kazakhstan's accession to the Customs Union with Russia and Belarus occupied a special place at the meeting. Our European partners are interested, how this event will influence the level of bilateral trade relations. "All agreements, which will be applied within the framework of the Customs Union, are elaborated in accordance with the WTO requirements", Z.Aitzhanova noted.

Victor Andres Maldonado, in his turn, said that the EU is interested in information about the processes of this Organization creation. The EU is one of the main economic partners of Kazakhstan.

"Creation of a 165-million population market will influence our relations. We hope that the Customs Union formation will bring relations of Kazakhstan with the EU states to a new level in economic and political relation", V.Maldonado said.