Head of Cooperation
Delegation of the EU to the Republic of Kazakhstan
Since 1 September 2022 Head of Cooperation in the EU Delegation to Kazakhstan responsible for a wide portfolio of regional projects in Central Asia as well as for bilateral cooperation with Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan, including in the area of green transition, water, trade, transport relations.
From 2020 to 2022, Johannes was working in DG Energy in the EU Commission in Brussels on the implementation of the European Green Deal. He was coordinating the revision of the EU Renewables Directive and international hydrogen policies.
He was Head of Sector for Economic Cooperation, Energy, Transport and Environment at the EU Delegation in Ukraine from 2016-2020 and worked in the Support Group for Ukraine on energy reforms in Ukraine. Before 2014, he occupied different positions in the European Commission in the area of human resources, internal markets and international relations, including for EU-Russia energy relations and the negotiations of aviation agreements with third countries.
Before starting his career at the Commission in 2000, he was working for the Foreign Ministry of Germany, as well as in the private and academic sector. He studied international law, history and Slavic languages and has a PhD in Russian history.
EU-Kazakhstan cooperation in the field of critical raw materials
The strategic partnership with Kazakhstan on raw materials is part of the EU's policy to ensure access to a secure, diversified, affordable and sustainable supply of critical raw materials. EU policies aim to deliver secure, sustainable and affordable energy for citizens and businesses. A successful transition to a green economy – which will require a rapid roll-out of clean technologies – will depend on the availability of various critical raw materials.
On 7 November 2022, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and Alikhan Smailov, Prime Minister of Kazakhstan, signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on Strategic Partnerships on Sustainable Raw Materials, Batteries, and Renewable Hydrogen Value Chains.