World Monitor Magazine, Business and Investments WM_march 2019_web | Page 25

DESTINATION europe
shares last year is an excellent first
step that we trust will be followed up.
But in parallel to reducing the role of
the state in the economy, I share the
conviction of my fellow Ambassadors
of EU Member States that more can be
done to facilitate trade and investment
of small and medium-sized enterprises
(SMEs).
Clearer regulation is key for large
investors but even more so for the small
and medium ones. A more consistent
application of the legislation to good-
faith economic operators would go far
in this sense. This applies notably to
the application of tax rules, especially
in the regions, but also to foreign
labour regulations, to name just two
key areas for business.
All this leads me to our EU-Kazakhstan
Enhanced Partnership and Cooperation
Agreement, which has been in
application for most of its trade and
business parts already for more than
two years, and which provides a number
of opportunities that have as yet to be
fully taken advantage of.
Now that the ratification process is
nearing completion, I look forward to
a renewed impetus to fully implement
the Agreement, including by setting up a
'Roadmap' with concrete engagements
and clear milestones – like it is the case
for all agreements that the EU has
concluded with countries worldwide.
This calls for substantial efforts to
coordinate the work of all concerned
Ministries and stakeholders. I am
hopeful that the recent assumption
of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of
responsibilities over export promotion
and attraction of investment will make
a positive difference in this sense.
Finally, to respond to the calls for more
cooperation on trade facilitation and
integration coming from our partners
in Central Asia, I would like to mention
a new regional programme that we
are launching this year. The project,
implemented by the International Trade
Centre, is meant to help reducing non-
tariff barriers and to make sure that
Kazakh companies are in a better
position to profit from more value-added
and efficiency-seeking investment.
Looking ahead, let me also say that the
WTO Ministerial Conference next year
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