Kazakhstan and the European Union are working on a strategic program of economic cooperation, Minister of Economic Integration Zhanar Aitzhanova said at the 4th Astana Economic Forum on Wednesday.
"We are developing a strategic partnership program with the EU, which is meant to increase mutual trade and investment," Aitzhanova said.
The minister noted that within the framework of the Customs Union Kazakhstan was in the process of negotiating a free trade zone with the European Free Trade Association (EFTA) that includes Switzerland, Norway, Liechtenstein and Iceland, DPA reported.
"The Customs Union and the EFTA are now negotiating a free trade zone not only in respect of goods, but also of a broad spectrum of investment issues such as services, protection of intellectual property and technical regulation," Aitzhanova said.
"This is a complicated negotiating process and we are in the very beginning of it, but we believe it will lead to an increase in trade volumes between our countries," she added.