Kazakhstan lifted moratorium on issuance of licenses for subsoil use

Kazakhstan lifted moratorium on issuance of licenses for subsoil use. Kazakhstan President Nursultan Nazarbayev instructed the northern region to intensify the efforts on attracting investors in the mineral resources’ sphere, as well as the measures to encourage businesses and residents. President Nursultan Nazarbayev said at the enlarged meeting with the participation of the Mayors in Akorda.

"The Kostanay, North Kazakhstan regions are situated in the border. We have been the Customs Union members for two years as I said before a decision about joining the CU, you should go to the Russian regions and begin to work with them, as a result nothing is done, the border regions are not doing anything," Nursultan Nazarbayev said.

The President stressed the necessity to take certain measures by the Government to raise the regions’ interest in attracting investment.

"It is necessary to lift the moratorium on some types of mineral resources. We have Socio-Entrepreneurial Corporation there if it will attract investment into the region on this field, you need to get part of the profits of that interest to the regions," the President said.

"I instruct the government to take the matter, make a consistent proposal with the regions that will raise an interest and as a result, attract investment," the President said.

To recall, the moratorium on the issuance of licenses for subsoil use was introduced in 2008, when the government began to develop a new tax legislation that provides for abolishment of such form of a contract as a production sharing agreement. New Tax Code, which envisages renouncing contract stability and toughening taxes on the mining sector, came into force on Jan. 1, 2009.