Uzbekistan moves closer to WTO accession as 2026 target remains in sight

Uzbekistan is making strides toward its goal of joining the World Trade Organization (WTO) by 2026, having reported advancements in legislative reforms, bilateral market access discussions, and aligning with WTO regulations during the 13th meeting of the WTO Working Party dedicated to its accession.

A substantial Uzbek delegation, consisting of 30 senior government officials, attended the meeting. Key members included Azizbek Urunov, the President of Uzbekistan's Representative on the WTO, who also serves as Chief Negotiator and Chairman of the Food Safety Committee; Akhadbek Khaydarov, Deputy Minister of Economy and Finance; Akmal Kosimov, Deputy Minister of Agriculture; Makhmud Istamov, Deputy Minister of Justice; and various other officials and experts from government ministries and agencies, some of whom participated remotely from Tashkent.

During the session, Urunov reaffirmed Uzbekistan's dedication to finalizing the accession process, noting that negotiations have progressed significantly since the previous Working Party meeting. He stated, "Uzbekistan's accession process has reached a more advanced stage," attributing the decreasing number of inquiries from WTO members to the country's effective resolution of their concerns. Urunov emphasized the importance of sustaining the current pace of negotiations to meet Uzbekistan's 2026 WTO accession target.

According to Urunov, Uzbekistan has brought 190 legislative acts into conformity with WTO rules since March. These reforms encompass measures related to sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) standards and food safety, including the establishment of a unified Food Safety Committee. The government has also updated draft legislation pertaining to anti-dumping, countervailing, and safeguard measures.

Ambassador Sung-yo Choi of the Republic of Korea, who chairs the Working Party, announced that 31 bilateral market access agreements have now been submitted to the WTO Secretariat, with India being the most recent country to conclude negotiations with Uzbekistan. She urged the remaining negotiating partners to finalize their bilateral agreements, indicating that this phase of the accession process is nearing completion.

WTO members acknowledged Uzbekistan's progress but also noted that the adoption of some legislative measures had been slower than anticipated. Delegations recognized ongoing reforms, such as the privatization of state-owned enterprises and efforts to enhance the transparency and predictability of the business environment.

Members also requested further clarification on Uzbekistan's policies concerning foreign exchange and payments, import regulations, trade facilitation, investment policy, competition policy, and technical barriers to trade. They encouraged the government to continue reforms in areas including state-owned enterprises and agricultural support. Some members also suggested that Uzbekistan consider joining specific WTO plurilateral initiatives after its accession.

Speaking on behalf of WTO Director-General Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, Deputy Director-General Xiangchen Zhang commented that the short interval between Working Party meetings underscored the commitment of both Uzbekistan and WTO members to advance the accession process. Zhang stated, "WTO accession can help economies build resilience by anchoring an economy-wide reform process. It can also strengthen the WTO by updating rules and expanding market access."

Ambassador Choi expressed that while work remains, completing Uzbekistan's accession is achievable if outstanding issues are addressed promptly. Urunov urged negotiators to focus on resolving the remaining commitments. He stated, "The Working Party should focus on translating the progress already achieved into agreed language, close the remaining gaps and bring the accession process to completion."

Looking ahead, Ambassador Choi expressed optimism that the next Working Party meeting could take place in late autumn, once the necessary documentation has been circulated, and encouraged all participants to maintain the current momentum.

This latest session marked the 13th meeting of the WTO Working Party on Uzbekistan's accession. Uzbekistan initially applied for WTO membership in 1994 and has been actively negotiating the terms of its accession with WTO members since 2020.