Central Asian transport route offers 'unprecedented' opportunities but 'bottlenecks' remain
BRUSSELS, BELGIUM, November 24, 2025 /EINPresswire.com/ -- The so-called Middle Corridor, spanning from China to Europe via Central Asia, the Caspian Sea, the South Caucasus, is vital not just for moving goods from A to B but also for fostering ideas, culture and economic growth.
And one country in the region that is fast positioning itself as a logistics leader is Kazakhstan.
This was one of the key messages to emerge from a high-level conference in the European Parliament (19 November) on “Strengthening EU-Kazakhstan connectivity: Prospectives and Strategic Potential of the Middle Corridor.”
Several key stakeholders, MEPs and others attended the event as they debated the potential of the Middle Corridor and also current hurdles that need to be overcome to allow it to reach its full potential.
The Middle Corridor, essentially a means of transporting goods across Central Asia to Europe starts in China and passes through several countries, including Kazakhstan.
The event was timely as it coincides with the tenth anniversary of the EU-Kazakhstan Enhanced Partnership and Cooperation Agreement signed in Astana in December 2015.
Relations between the 27-strong EU and Kazakhstan have strengthened in recent years and the Union is now the land-locked country’s largest investment partner, accounting for some 30 per cent of its foreign trade and no less than 40 per cent of its foreign investment.
Roman Vassilenko, the ambassador of Kazakhstan to the EU, launched the discussion saying the issue was of “growing strategic”, not least for the “new opportunities” it creates for connectivity between Europe, Central Asia and the broader Eurasian region.
The ambassador told the packed meeting that the Middle Corridor is a route that “not only diversifies global logistics but also embodies our shared principles of openness, predictability and cooperation.”
He said that, in order to fulfil this role, his country was pursuing “ambitious infrastructure development and modernization plans.”
These, he noted, include upgrading railways, expanding port capacities and digitilising customs procedures.
This will ensure, he added, that transit through his country is “faster, more efficient and fully aligned” with global standards.
The keynote speaker at the 2 hour debate was Sergey Lagodinsky, an MEP and chair of the delegation to the Euronest Parliamentary Assembly.
He noted that the current geopolitical landscape had “changed profoundly”, making the need for Europe to “diversify routes, partners and dependencies” all the more urgent.
For Europe, he told the audience, the lesson is clear: “The age of relying largely on one northern rail corridor through Russia or one maritime choke point is over. In that context, Kazakhstan and the Middle Corridor are not just interesting options – they are becoming part of Europe’s strategic insurance policy.”
The MEP said the direction of travel is also clear: “Demand is there and it is rising.”
“The question is whether we can make the corridor reliable and affordable enough to match that demand.”
There were other challenges to face, he said, adding, “We should not forget what kind of connectivity we are trying to build.
“Do we want corridors that are opaque, high carbon and exposed to arbitrary political pressure? Or corridors that are transparent, green and anchored in a rules-based order.”
Another MEP was Ilhan Kyuchyuk, chair of the legal affairs committee and host of the event, who said the corridor was not just a means of transportation but of building “bridges” between continents.
Some issues still remain before this can be achieved, however, and that was why it is vital for all partners involved to cooperate together, he went on.
From the European Commission, Fabienne van den Eede, the deputy head of unit for Central Asia and Afghanistan at DG INTPA, told the debate that connectivity was also about “forging trusted partnerships,” particularly vital at a time of acute uncertainty across the globe.
She added, “We must remove those existing bottlenecks, and this is where the EU can bring its expertise to bear.”
Her comments were partly echoed by Samuel Vesterbye, managing director at the European Neighbourhood Council, a Brussels-based think tank, who said the world was undergoing “geopolitical pressure” that posed a “threat” to global trade and trade routes.
He added that the Middle Corridor will help address this. It was also important, he noted, to acknowledge that the route is a “regional entity in its own right” as well as connecting Europe and Central Asia.
Further comment came from Alberto Turkstra, a Central Asia expert and project director at Diplomatic World, who moderated the event.
He told the debate, organized jointly by the Renew Europe group and the Kazakhstan Mission to the EU, that the Middle Corridor offered “unprecedented” opportunities but also sounded a note of caution, warning that certain obstacles still had to be overcome in order to make this a reality.
Address: Avenue Van Bever 30, В-1180, Brussels, Kingdom of Belguim.
And one country in the region that is fast positioning itself as a logistics leader is Kazakhstan.
This was one of the key messages to emerge from a high-level conference in the European Parliament (19 November) on “Strengthening EU-Kazakhstan connectivity: Prospectives and Strategic Potential of the Middle Corridor.”
Several key stakeholders, MEPs and others attended the event as they debated the potential of the Middle Corridor and also current hurdles that need to be overcome to allow it to reach its full potential.
The Middle Corridor, essentially a means of transporting goods across Central Asia to Europe starts in China and passes through several countries, including Kazakhstan.
The event was timely as it coincides with the tenth anniversary of the EU-Kazakhstan Enhanced Partnership and Cooperation Agreement signed in Astana in December 2015.
Relations between the 27-strong EU and Kazakhstan have strengthened in recent years and the Union is now the land-locked country’s largest investment partner, accounting for some 30 per cent of its foreign trade and no less than 40 per cent of its foreign investment.
Roman Vassilenko, the ambassador of Kazakhstan to the EU, launched the discussion saying the issue was of “growing strategic”, not least for the “new opportunities” it creates for connectivity between Europe, Central Asia and the broader Eurasian region.
The ambassador told the packed meeting that the Middle Corridor is a route that “not only diversifies global logistics but also embodies our shared principles of openness, predictability and cooperation.”
He said that, in order to fulfil this role, his country was pursuing “ambitious infrastructure development and modernization plans.”
These, he noted, include upgrading railways, expanding port capacities and digitilising customs procedures.
This will ensure, he added, that transit through his country is “faster, more efficient and fully aligned” with global standards.
The keynote speaker at the 2 hour debate was Sergey Lagodinsky, an MEP and chair of the delegation to the Euronest Parliamentary Assembly.
He noted that the current geopolitical landscape had “changed profoundly”, making the need for Europe to “diversify routes, partners and dependencies” all the more urgent.
For Europe, he told the audience, the lesson is clear: “The age of relying largely on one northern rail corridor through Russia or one maritime choke point is over. In that context, Kazakhstan and the Middle Corridor are not just interesting options – they are becoming part of Europe’s strategic insurance policy.”
The MEP said the direction of travel is also clear: “Demand is there and it is rising.”
“The question is whether we can make the corridor reliable and affordable enough to match that demand.”
There were other challenges to face, he said, adding, “We should not forget what kind of connectivity we are trying to build.
“Do we want corridors that are opaque, high carbon and exposed to arbitrary political pressure? Or corridors that are transparent, green and anchored in a rules-based order.”
Another MEP was Ilhan Kyuchyuk, chair of the legal affairs committee and host of the event, who said the corridor was not just a means of transportation but of building “bridges” between continents.
Some issues still remain before this can be achieved, however, and that was why it is vital for all partners involved to cooperate together, he went on.
From the European Commission, Fabienne van den Eede, the deputy head of unit for Central Asia and Afghanistan at DG INTPA, told the debate that connectivity was also about “forging trusted partnerships,” particularly vital at a time of acute uncertainty across the globe.
She added, “We must remove those existing bottlenecks, and this is where the EU can bring its expertise to bear.”
Her comments were partly echoed by Samuel Vesterbye, managing director at the European Neighbourhood Council, a Brussels-based think tank, who said the world was undergoing “geopolitical pressure” that posed a “threat” to global trade and trade routes.
He added that the Middle Corridor will help address this. It was also important, he noted, to acknowledge that the route is a “regional entity in its own right” as well as connecting Europe and Central Asia.
Further comment came from Alberto Turkstra, a Central Asia expert and project director at Diplomatic World, who moderated the event.
He told the debate, organized jointly by the Renew Europe group and the Kazakhstan Mission to the EU, that the Middle Corridor offered “unprecedented” opportunities but also sounded a note of caution, warning that certain obstacles still had to be overcome in order to make this a reality.
Address: Avenue Van Bever 30, В-1180, Brussels, Kingdom of Belguim.
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+32 477 06 46 67
brussels@mfa.kz
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