On Tuesday 12 December, the European Parliament approved the conclusion of the Enhanced Partnership and Cooperation Agreement (EPCA) with the Republic of Kazakhstan. The new deal was passed with 511 votes in favour, 115 against and 28 abstentions.
Kazakhstan is the first Central Asian country with which the EU has negotiated and signed such a deal. (see EUROPE 11639).
In another report by Liisa Jaakonsaari (S&D, Finland) that it adopted (545 votes for, 68 against, with 39 abstentions), the European Parliament welcomed the fact that the new bilateral agreement, “establishes a solid foundation for deepening relations” and aims to “enhance cooperation and significantly boost economic relations…around different priorities and areas of common interest” particularly democracy and the rule of law, human rights and fundamental freedoms, sustainable development, foreign and security policy, trade, economic and financial cooperation, energy and the environment.
Parliament also emphasised that, “with introduction of the EPCA, there is the possibility of negotiating an agreement to facilitate the granting of visas between the Union and Kazakhstan, at the same time as possible negotiations for an agreement governing specific obligations on readmission".
At a more general level, Parliament is calling on the Union to “systematically provide a high degree of priority in its political dialogue on questions involving the rule of law and democracy, fundamental freedoms and human rights. It also advocates substantial revision of the annual EU-Kazakhstan dialogue on human rights, in order to make it more efficient and concrete".
MEPs are also calling Kazakhstan to take, “prospective and concrete measures for political, democratic and social reform, particularly with regard to a clear separation of executive and legislative powers". (Original version in French by Camille-Cerise Gessant)