“The aforementioned agreement was written up to ensure cooperation between the Republic of Kazakhstan and EU members in efforts to strengthen nuclear and radiation safety. Furthermore, they will work together to develop and apply scientifically-founded safety regulations recognized by the international community,” says a Senate note on the bill. The bill says that ratifying the agreement will help Kazakhstan expand its scientific and technical relations and obtain technical assistance for projects to decommission, deactivate and dismantle nuclear facilities. The politicians who drafted the bill said that assistance might be given to help finance the decommissioning of the BN-350 industrial reactor (a fast neutron reactor at the Mangyshlak nuclear complex) and possible design and construction of a nuclear power plant. The agreement was signed in Brussels on July 19, 1999, at the first session of the Kazakhstan-EU Cooperation Council. The bill was submitted to the chief of state for signing in line with legal procedures.