The European Union and Kazakhstan have signed a Horizontal Aviation Agreement that will allow any eligible EU airline to operate flights between Kazakhstan and any of the seventeen EU member states that currently have bilateral air services agreements with Kazakhstan. The agreement, signed on 23 June 2026 in Brussels, replaces previous nationality-based restrictions that limited these routes to airlines owned or controlled by nationals of the respective member state or Kazakhstan.
The agreement was signed by Commissioner for Sustainable Transport and Tourism Apostolos Tzitzikostas and Kazakh Minister of Transport Nurlan Sauranbayev, in the presence of European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, European Council President Antonio Costa, and Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev during the Kazakh leader's visit to Brussels.
By granting all EU airlines equal access to the market, the agreement promotes open and fair competition, creates new opportunities for passengers and businesses, and provides greater legal certainty for both parties. Commissioner Tzitzikostas said: "I warmly congratulate Kazakhstan on the signing of this agreement with the European Union. This milestone reflects our shared commitment to strengthening cooperation, enhancing connectivity between our regions, and bringing our people and economies closer together."
The seventeen EU member states covered by the agreement are Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Czechia, Germany, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Hungary, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Latvia, Netherlands, Poland, and Sweden. Both the European Union and Kazakhstan will now complete their respective internal procedures, after which the agreement is expected to enter into force in the near future.
The agreement is expected to have a moderate positive impact on EU airlines, which gain new market access and competitive opportunities, and on passengers and businesses, who will benefit from increased flight options and potentially lower fares. Kazakh airlines may face increased competition on routes to Europe, but the agreement also opens opportunities for Kazakh carriers to partner with EU airlines. No prior coverage of this file exists in the last 180 days.