On June 11, Prime Minister of Kazakhstan Olzhas Bektenov chaired the 19th meeting of the Kazakhstan–European Union dialogue platform with the participation of heads of diplomatic missions of European countries, representatives of major foreign business associations, and companies. The meeting discussed issues of the investment climate, harmonization of technical standards and regulatory approaches, customs administration, as well as expansion of cooperation in geological exploration and critical mineral resources, according to the press service of the Kazakh Government.
Cooperation with the EU has shown steady dynamics in recent years. In 2025, trade turnover between Kazakhstan and EU countries amounted to $45.2 billion. In the first four months of 2026, the volume of mutual trade reached $12.4 billion, with Kazakh exports amounting to $9.27 billion. The non-resource sector shows qualitative growth; in particular, exports of domestic agricultural products to EU countries increased by 34.3%, reaching $266.2 million.
“Today, the European Union accounts for more than 30% of Kazakhstan’s foreign trade. The total volume of European investments in our country’s economy has exceeded $200 billion. These indicators clearly demonstrate the high level of mutual economic interest between our countries. Kazakhstan remains a reliable and predictable partner of the European Union in matters of energy security, industrial cooperation, and development of transport connectivity,” Bektenov emphasized.
It was noted that cooperation in the field of critical raw materials is actively developing. Attention was paid to the development of the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route. In the first five months of this year, the volume of transit transportation along the route increased by 69%. Kazakhstan views the Middle Corridor as one of the key areas of interaction with the European Union and is interested in further promoting the Global Gateway initiative. The Kazakh side also stands for advancing dialogue on visa regime simplification. During the meeting, reports and proposals were delivered by the Ambassador of the European Union to Kazakhstan Aleška Simkič, Chargé d’Affaires of Germany Ulrich Kinne, Deputy Chairman of the European Business Association of Kazakhstan (EUROBAK) Dias Assanov, General Director of Confindustria Central Asia and Caucasus Livio Mazzuccolo, and Managing Director of Xcalibur Smart Mapping Said Sultanov.
