Developing transit and transport potential is one of the priorities of cooperation between Kazakhstan and the European Union. According to participants of the 2nd meeting of the EU-Kazakhstan Subcommittee on Customs Cooperation in Brussels, it will contribute to the efficient diversification of Kazakhstan’s economy. The meeting participants also discussed changes in customs legislation, customs reforms, the authorized economic operators’ development program in Kazakhstan and the EU as well as the overview of customs-related law enforcement activities in both Kazakhstan and the EU. The European Commission officials presented the common transit procedure for the EU member states to their Kazakh colleagues. The European Commission officials also noted that they are ready to consider Kazakhstan’s participation in the “Smart and Secure Trade Lanes” pilot project. The program is designed to strengthen transit and transport potential of its participants.

GOSMAN AMRIN, DEPUTY CHAIRMAN, KAZAKH STATE REVENUE COMMITTEE:
- We discussed a very important topic of Kazakhstan joining a project between China and the European Union on the transit of goods by railway transport. A significant part of this project is related to Kazakhstan. The EU officials presented their new transit system to us. We discussed joining this system and the ways of using it. I hope, at the end of the discussions, we will make a final decision.

SABINE HENZLER, HEAD OF INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS, EC TAXATION AND CUSTOMS UNION:
- Kazakhstan is a very important partner for us. It’s the biggest country in the region. For us this meeting provided an excellent opportunity in order to further develop our relationship and our partnership with Kazakhstan ideas about how to further facilitate customs handling, and in order to also help address the issues with transit of goods that the EU exported or Kazakhstan exported.