OREANDA-NEWS. May 21, 2014. "The countries of the European Free Trade Association (EFTA), New Zealand and Vietnam vow to set up a free trade area with the Customs Union," Aliya Alimbetova, acting director of the foreign trade development department of the Economy and Budget Planning Ministry of Kazakhstan, told a briefing at the Central Communications Service in Astana.

"The member countries of the Customs Union are in talks to form a free trade zone with New Zealand and Vietnam and the EFTA grouping Switzerland, Norway, Iceland and Lichtenstein," she added.

The free trade area between the CU members and the third countries will enhance Kazakhstan's competitive edge and give an opportunity to deepen cooperation between the country's and foreign entrepreneurs in the field of pharmaceuticals, industrial engineering and promote transfer of technologies.