Human rights and the rule of law in the EU-Kazakhstan Partnership and Cooperation Agreement

20.7.2015

Question for written answer E-011620-15
to the Commission
Rule 130
Kazimierz Michał Ujazdowski (ECR)

The European Games which recently took place in Azerbaijan could be seen by some as an example of an undemocratic regime taking advantage of an international event to improve its image. Fears have been raised that Kazakhstan will take advantage of Expo 2017 in the same way. The country has been ruled by President Nursultan Nazarbayev for more than 25 years, and human rights defenders have reported a vast number of issues. Many members of the political opposition, including opposition leader Vladimir Kozlov, are either serving prison sentences or have been sent out of the country.

At the same time, the EU is in the process of establishing an enhanced Partnership and Cooperation Agreement with Kazakhstan.

Given the urgent need for greater transparency in the EU, when will the Commission publish the new agreement text so that the extent to which it covers issues such as human rights and the rule of law can be assessed?