On 4 December 2019, the Kazakhstan government reportedly approved the bill for the ratification of the pending income tax treaty with Cyprus and submitted the bill in parliament. The treaty, signed 15 May 2019 ({News-2019-06-03/T/3-previous coverage}), is the first of its kind directly between the two countries, although a prior treaty between Cyprus and the former Soviet Union had applied in respect of Kazakhstan but was terminated. The treaty will enter into force once the ratification instruments are exchanged and will generally apply from 1 January of the year following its entry into force.