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Kazakhstan, European Union sign extended partnership agreement

The Kazakh Foreign Ministry said the new agreement sizably expands horizons of partnership and opens new possibilities for cooperation between the republic and the European Union

ASTANA, December 21. /TASS/. An agreement on expanded partnership between Kazakhstan and the European Union opens new possibilities for trade, economic and investment cooperation, the Kazakh Foreign Ministry said on Monday.

"A new agreement sizably expands horizons of partnership and opens new possibilities for cooperation between the republic and the European Union in trade-economic and investment spheres, including with a glance to Kazakhstan’s entry into the World Trade Organisation and the development of the Eurasian Economic Union," its press service reported.

Under the document, Kazakhstan and the EU are ready to get to a new level in relations and boost mutually advantageous partnership in 29 spheres covered by the agreement, signed in the Kazakh capital Astana on Monday.

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"The directions of cooperation include economy and finance, transport, energy, environmental protection, education and research, as well as protection of data, migration, supremacy of law and fight against corruption," the press release said.

"The sides also intend to boost cooperation on fight against terrorism and trans-national organized crime, contribute to international and regional security and stability," it added.

They seek to further ease restrictions for mutual travels, this being among the focal points at talks of Kazakh Interior Minister Yerlan Idrisov and High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs Federica Mogherini, it said.

In particular, Idrisov informed the head of the European diplomacy that Kazakhstan was putting much effort towards aligning the national legislation with European rules in the visa policy, as well as towards making trips of foreign nationals to the republic easier.

Thus, in 2014 Kazakhstan launched a pilot project on visa-free trips to the republic for citizens of 20 developed nations, mostly European. "The Kazakh foreign minister noted that the country expected to be met half-way by the European side," the report said.

Idrisov and Mogherini signed on Monday an agreement on expanded partnership and cooperation between the Republic of Kazakhstan and the European Union. It will replace the current agreement on partnership and cooperation between Kazakhstan and the EU that came into effect on July 1, 1999. Talks on the agreement were officially completed on October 9, 2014.

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