Uzbekistan’s bold steps towards WTO membershipPublished on EGF: 09.08.2024 by EGF Editor
As a member of numerous international and regional institutions, the Republic of Uzbekistan has yet to join the WTO. Since 2017, Uzbekistan has significantly intensified its efforts to join the organization and has become one of the applicants for whom membership is a top priority. Currently, Uzbekistan has made a firm decision to accede to the WTO and is consistently implementing all necessary reforms and taking bold steps towards this goal. For example, between 2022 and 2024, the working group on WTO membership became more active, resulting in four meetings. The reduced intervals between meetings and the rapid development of its activities are expected to ensure the success of the accession talks and bring the process closer. In September 2023, President Shavkat Mirziyoyev met with WTO Director-General Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala on the sidelines of the 78th session of the UN General Assembly. The WTO chief executive highly appreciated the measures taken by Uzbekistan towards membership. During her visit to Uzbekistan in June 2024, the WTO head stressed that the Secretariat fully supports Tashkent’s endeavors and expressed confidence that Uzbekistan will join the organization in the near future. Uzbekistan’s membership bid has secured active support from the international community. Thus far, negotiations with a number of countries have been completed, and market access protocols have been signed. Talks with several other nations are nearing conclusion. At the eighth meeting of the working group in May of this year, 2026 was set as the target date for joining the WTO. The purpose of setting a specific target is to expedite the accession process and highlight the issue for member states. In recent years, Uzbekistan has undertaken a range of reforms to fulfill the requirements for WTO entry. Fundamental changes are taking place in the national economy, with specific efforts particularly focused on ending monopolies. By implementing the reforms required for WTO accession, as many scholars estimate, the economy normally grows by 3 percent in the short term and 11 percent in the medium term. However, Uzbekistan has demonstrated performance several times higher in this regard. The process of opening up to the world continues, with cooperation with other nations gaining momentum. For example, in 2021, the European Union introduced the GSP+ trade regime with Uzbekistan, allowing 6,200 goods to be exported to the EU duty-free. The adaptation of national economic policy to international standards has accelerated, and legal foundations are being established. In particular, a decree issued by the President of Uzbekistan on June 3 this year, considered a significant step towards WTO membership, outlines further measures to accelerate market reforms and harmonize national legislation with WTO agreements. The decree addresses complex issues and takes into account several WTO agreements, including those concerning state enterprises' entitlement to exclusive rights and investment-related trade measures. Authorities are barred from imposing stringent requirements on investors related to localization, imports, and exports. Additionally, Uzbekistan has introduced a number of other normative documents aimed at aligning its trade system with WTO rules across sectors. For instance, the state duty for public registration of enterprises with foreign investments and local enterprises has been standardized. A particularly important law adopted in February 2024 envisages amendments to several normative acts of the Republic of Uzbekistan to harmonize national legislation with WTO agreements. This law has harmonized dozens of existing laws with WTO requirements. In accordance with the WTO General Agreement on Trade in Services, the state duty for public registration of enterprises with foreign investments and local enterprises in Uzbekistan has been set at a unified amount of the Basic Calculated Sum (340,000 Uzbek soums, approximately 28 US dollars). Based on the requirements of the agreement on commercial aspects of intellectual property rights, this law introduces amendments to the laws of the Republic of Uzbekistan on “Inventions, Utility Models and Industrial Designs” and “Trademarks, Service Marks and Names of the Place of Origin of Goods”. These amendments specify the procedure for the use of these intellectual property objects without the consent of the owner and address the protection of rights in cases of dishonest registration by others. Furthermore, the Law of the Republic of Uzbekistan on Medicines and Pharmaceutical Activities has been amended to include provisions for the protection of data obtained before and as a result of clinical trials. The aforementioned law also includes amendments to the Law of the Republic of Uzbekistan on State Duties, standardizing the amounts of patent duties and state duties charged for the public registration of enterprises with foreign investments and other business entities. Additionally, amendments have been made to the Law of the Republic of Uzbekistan on Advertising to ensure equal conditions for local and foreign producers. In summary, Uzbekistan’s resolve to join the World Trade Organization is strong, and the country is making significant progress towards this goal. Recognizing that WTO membership will enhance its international cooperation and elevate it to a new level, Uzbekistan is boldly advancing towards this objective with well-developed and steadily implemented action plans. Many WTO member states have welcomed Uzbekistan’s swift progress in this direction and have expressed their willingness to support the country in the accession talks. Their cooperation, experience, and support are crucial for the successful conclusion of these negotiations.
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Qodir Djuraev,