The National Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship expressed comments on the draft order of the Ministry of Industry and Construction of the Republic of Kazakhstan posted on the open portal of regulatory legal acts, which proposes new rules and criteria for selecting projects wishing to participate in special economic and industrial zones.

The Center supports the initiative to update the criteria as a means to stimulate investment and development of innovative projects, but has concerns about the feasibility of some of the proposed requirements. The NCIE points out potential administrative and financial barriers that may arise due to stringent conditions, including high requirements for investment and the share of exports in the business model of projects.

In particular, the requirement to invest at least 1 billion tenge per hectare of land may not be feasible for many industries, especially in regions with high land costs. In addition, the requirement that 70% of production must be exported may not reflect market realities, especially for new or niche projects.

NCIE recommends further consultation with the business community and experts to ensure that the new criteria promote economic development without creating insurmountable barriers for participants. This will make the selection process more flexible and adapted to different economic conditions and specific industries.

The Center also emphasized the importance of ensuring a fair and effective selection mechanism: “We strive to ensure that the selection criteria reflect the real opportunities and needs of business, contributing to economic growth and innovation in the country.”