This month marks the 10th anniversary of the signing of the Enhanced Partnership and Cooperation Agreement (EPCA) between Kazakhstan and the European Union, which has become an important milestone in affirming our mutual commitment to long-term and future-oriented cooperation.
Over the past ten years, our interaction has encompassed areas such as political dialogue, security, educational initiatives, and connectivity. With over 200 billion euros in investments since 2005, the EU has become Kazakhstan's largest partner in trade and investment.
Today, as before, our relationship is based on the principles of the UN Charter and on the understanding that many global challenges can only be addressed through closer cooperation between Europe and reliable partners.
One of the significant tasks is to ensure access to the resources and technologies necessary for the transition to a "green" and digital economy. Europe's dependence on a limited number of suppliers of critical raw materials poses a serious challenge to its competitiveness.
Ensuring stable access to such resources is not only an industrial task but also a strategic priority, in which Kazakhstan can play an important role.
Kazakhstan as part of the solution
The European Commission emphasizes the need to diversify sources of critical raw materials. Policymakers in Europe face the challenge of how to mitigate risks while maintaining the pace of the "Green Deal".
Kazakhstan is already contributing to solving this problem. In 2024, the volume of bilateral trade with the EU reached 48.8 billion US dollars, and over 80% of Kazakhstan's exported oil goes to European markets.
In the future, we see the potential for creating more reliable and diverse supply chains of critical minerals for Europe—an area where our resources and expertise are particularly valuable.
A decade of cooperation has demonstrated what we are capable of. The next ten years should be defined by the implementation of concrete projects, strengthening production and supply chains, modernizing infrastructure, and deepening technological cooperation.
The EU legislation on critical raw materials highlights the scale of the challenge. By 2030, Europe plans to significantly increase the extraction and processing of necessary resources while limiting dependence on individual external suppliers.
Recent disruptions in supply chains have shown how easily they can be exposed to risks due to geopolitical instability or logistical issues. The demand for minerals such as copper, graphite, rare earth elements, manganese, and titanium significantly exceeds global supply.
Kazakhstan is one of the few countries capable of making a real impact on alleviating this shortage. According to EU estimates, Kazakhstan can supply 21 out of 34 critical raw materials, including several strategically important positions. Our graphite mining project in Sarytogan is included in the official list of strategic projects of the EU under the Critical Raw Materials Act.
There is already a solid foundation for cooperation. More than 4,000 European companies operate in Kazakhstan. The Memorandum of Strategic Partnership with the EU on critical materials, batteries, and renewable hydrogen, signed in 2022, has strengthened the economic block of the EPCA. The joint roadmap for 2025-2026 outlines key priorities—from geological exploration to the development of value-added chains and "green" hydrogen.
Now it is important to turn this solid foundation into tangible results.
Common challenges as common advantages
The first step is to focus on a limited number of projects with maximum potential. Expanding cooperation in key areas such as copper, manganese, titanium, and rare earth elements will help Europe form a more diversified supply base and provide investors with clearer long-term prospects.
Sustainability also implies going beyond mere raw material extraction. The implementation of European plans for processing and enrichment requires reliable partners with production capabilities and strategic geographical locations. Kazakhstan has the resources to support this process, and expanding cooperation in processing in specific segments will help create a more diversified and predictable supply base for Europe.
Equally important are transportation and logistics issues. Critical materials need sustainable and secure supply routes, and the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route, known as the Middle Corridor, has already become an important link between Central Asia and Europe.
With the support of the European Commission and international financial institutions amounting to over 10 billion euros, this route is becoming increasingly efficient, and transit times are being reduced. Additional investments in infrastructure, railway capacities, and digital systems will further strengthen this corridor and help mitigate risks for Europe’s clean energy supply chains.
Innovation and skill development must go hand in hand. Reliable supply chains depend not only on raw materials but also on technology and expertise. Kazakhstan is already participating in Horizon Europe and Erasmus+ programs. In light of the expected simplification of the visa regime for Kazakh citizens, closer cooperation in geological exploration, battery processing, and environmentally friendly extraction will help achieve Europe’s climate goals and accelerate Kazakhstan's industrial renewal.
As we celebrate the tenth anniversary of the signing of the Enhanced Partnership and Cooperation Agreement, we see a clear direction for our movement: Kazakhstan and the EU unite long-term interests in creating stable, sustainable, and predictable supply chains that contribute to economic growth and the implementation of technologies for a cleaner future.
The decade we have left behind has shown what our partnership is capable of. The next ten years should be a period of practical achievements: strategic projects, strengthened value-added chains, modernized infrastructure, and deepened technological cooperation.
Europe's transition to a new economy ultimately depends on ensuring access to the materials necessary for future industries. With the right prioritization, both sides can build a stronger and more resilient partnership. Kazakhstan is ready to cooperate with the European Union to turn common challenges into common advantages.
