Facilitating the Process of Uzbekistan’s Accession to the WTO

17.06.2024 77

Uzbekistan’s technicians receive expert training on technical barriers to trade

Three recent workshops helped Uzbekistan’s laboratory staff and other officials gear up to apply technical requirements on traded goods.Countries that trade internationally apply a whole range of rules and standards to assure the quality and safety of imported goods – ranging from chemicals to industrial power drills.The World Trade Organization’s Agreement on Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT) ensures that these technical regulations, standards and conformity assessment procedures are not applied in a way that create unnecessary barriers to trade.As part of Uzbekistan’s process to join the WTO, technicians and laboratory staff are receiving extensive training in this highly technical area of trade administration. The ITC organized the training at the request of the Agency for Technical Regulation.Three training workshops were held in May.The first, on 14-15 May, focused on the international standard – ISO/IEC 17021-1:2015 – that deals with the competence, consistency and impartiality of bodies responsible for the auditing and certification of management system standards.From 20-22 May, officials and technical staff from public and private testing and calibration laboratories and other relevant government departments, enhanced their knowledge about metrological traceability in measurement, repeatability, and the reproducibility of tests. Trainees came to grips with quality system documentation and environmental controls, as well as the basics of statistics applied when measurement uncertainty is estimated.The third workshop, on 23-24 May, dealt with a risk-based approach to accrediting conformity assessment bodies. Key concepts such as risk identification, risk assessment, and risk management were unpacked. The training looked at the role of science and uncertainty in conformity assessment decision-making and how to recognise the results.All three workshops combined tutorials with assignments and case studies. This helped provide not only a theoretical foundation but gave participants interactive experience of what they will encounter on the ground.More than 230 participants attended the three workshops, including 93 women and 162 public sector officials. The first training was conducted online, while the other two were presented both on site and online.The workshops complete a series of 13 that the ITC committed to deliver to help strengthen Uzbekistan’s institutional capacity in the area of TBT.The training was facilitated by the ITC with European Union funding as part of the EU’s project Facilitating the process of Uzbekistan’s accession to the WTO project.

15.05.2024 113

Uzbekistan’s trade team gets advice on WTO accession from Kazakhstan

A trade delegation led by Uzbekistan’s chief WTO negotiator was in Astana for technical discussions and experience sharing on WTO accession with negotiators of Kazakhstan’s WTO membershipThe International Trade Centre (ITC) organized the high-level mission at the request of Azizbek Urunov, who is the Special Representative of the President of Uzbekistan on WTO issues. He’s also the country’s Chief Negotiator on Uzbekistan’s accession to the World Trade Organization. Its purpose was to tap into Kazakhstan’s negotiations towards its WTO membership.Kazakhstan joined the WTO in 2015, which means it can share advice with its Central Asian neighbour now negotiating WTO accession.Urunov led a team of nine other senior members of the Uzbek team responsible for the different negotiating areas. These range from goods, services and agriculture, to trade facilitation, trade remedies and state trading enterprises. Officials responsible for aligning Uzbekistan’s national legislation with WTO requirements also joined the mission.The mission, from 14 to 15 May 2024, is timely as Uzbekistan gears up for the 8th Working Party Meeting in Geneva, where its WTO accession negotiations will resume later in May.The delegation was welcomed by Kazakhstan’s Deputy Minister of Trade and Integration Zhanel Kushukova and Nurlan Kulbatyr – Deputy General Director of Kazakhstan’s centre for trade policy development, called QazTrade.Striking a balanceThe mission facilitated exchange on technical aspects of WTO negotiations. Bilaterals also covered legislative reforms and drilled into strategies for making commitments during the negotiations. This is a daunting task for acceding members who have to strike a healthy balance between heeding the requests of WTO Members while maintaining enough wriggle room to safeguard domestic interests.Kazakhstan’s Ministry of Trade and Integration, QazTrade, and the officials who negotiated Kazkahstan’s WTO accession imparted advice.First up was a high-level overview of Kazakhstan’s WTO accession process. The successive technical sessions drilled into areas of the trade talks that are complex and strategically important. Uzbekistan also got valuable advice on handling reforms to bring national laws in line with WTO requirements.The mission was organized with financial support from theEuropean Unionas part of the projectFacilitating the process of Uzbekistan’s accession to the WTO.

24.05.2024 141

ITC organizes expert guidance for Uzbekistan on key WTO measures

Arthur Appleton is one of the world’s foremost legal experts on WTO requirements on food safety and animal and plant health. Bringing his in-depth knowledge of WTO technical regulations, he visited Tashkent last month to help Uzbekistan navigate this complex terrain in advance of joining the WTO.The World Trade Organization (WTO) has basic rules that help countries guarantee animal and plant health, and food safety for consumers, in line with internationally accepted standards. The rules are contained in the Agreement on the Application of Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures (SPS).The measures encompass the gamut of laws, regulations and requirements, including production methods and processes, testing, inspection, certification and quarantines.The SPS, along with the Technical Barriers to Trade Agreement (TBT), guide countries on how to apply international standards so they facilitate business activities and are not used as disguised forms of protection that hamper trade.Guiding trade negotiatorsTo discuss these matters, Appleton met with Azizbek Urunov, Uzbekistan’s chief negotiator on WTO accession, and the technical team over several days between 21 and 26 April. The meetings were set up by the International Trade Centre (ITC).The consultations were complemented by two days of lectures on these topics on 23 and 24 April at the University of World Economy and Diplomacy (UWED).Some 30 participants attended the training. They were officials from the Ministry of Justice and technicians at several state agencies, including the Agency for Plant Protection and Quarantine, Veterinary and Livestock Development Committee, SanEpid Committee, and the Agency for Technical Regulation.Researchers and students at UWED’s law department also attended the lectures. The training was part of the trade accelerator training programme conceived by the ITC to fast-track trade capacity in advance of Uzbekistan’s WTO membership.Transparency and institutionsThe first day gave an overview of the SPS Agreement and its principles, homing in on risk assessment, management and communication. Key concepts enshrined in the SPS Agreement, such as harmonization and equivalence, were explained with signature WTO disputes as examples. Dispute settlement was also treated. Each of the topic sessions was interspersed with practical hints for Uzbekistan’s negotiators. The second day treated the TBT Agreement, following the same approach.Time was devoted to transparency – a key principle for the WTO – and how it is ensured in practice. An SPS National Notification Authority and National Enquiry Point will have to be set up. The ITC is already helping Uzbekistan to develop the necessary legislation for this purpose.Appleton’s visit was organized by the ITC with support from the European Union as part of the project Facilitating the process of Uzbekistan’s accession to the WTO.

08.04.2024 302

ITC supports key progress on new food safety rules for Uzbekistan

Government and legislative representatives were briefed on how to navigate the new Food Safety Bill developed for Uzbekistan with ITC help. This will ensure safe food imports and also ease the country’s way to WTO membership.Consumer welfare is a key priority in rules regulating trade. This is especially important with trade in food products.In 2023, the ITC assisted Uzbekistan in drafting and reviewing a central piece of legislation to regulate food safety. The bill now has to be enacted to bring the country’s food control standards and regulations in line with global requirements when it joins the World Trade Organization (WTO).To help oil this process, the ITC organized an expert meeting on 29 March with a deputy of the Legislative Chamber of the Oliy Majlis of Uzbekistan, and with heads and technicians of food control agencies, to help navigate the new bill and understand the significance of its enactment. The gathering was briefed on the modern principles of ensuring food safety.The WTO has a dedicated set of rules — the Agreement on the Application of Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures (SPS) — that offers Member states the right to impose measures to warrant food safety and protect animal and plant life and health. At the same time, it seeks to ensure that such measures are not overly protectionist and thereby impede trade.Countries that join the WTO have to align their food laws with the SPS Agreement and must also follow relevant international standards. These range from standards for good hygienic practice and production process controls, to product information labelling and consumer awareness.New risks and trendsIn recent times, food safety management has become complex with new trends such as localization drives, digitalization and increased online shopping. It also faces the emergence of new risks, such as antimicrobial resistance and climate change issues. This means safety controls have been tightened and are more nuanced.The meeting with the governing and legislative branches was complemented by a three-day expert training from 25-27 March for academics, food industry representatives, and technicians in the field to also hone their understanding of the latest methods in food safety management.Participants learned about the Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point, which is the food safety control system now used in most countries. HACCP ensures safe production of foodstuffs by identifying and controlling hazards. Its principles were standardized by the Codex Alimentarius Commission and has become a mandatory legal requirement in many countries.The training in 15 succinct modules unpacked the structure of the HACCP system, the seven principles that underpin it and its technical procedures. Technicians obtained the expertise to apply the rules when they come into force. The participation of academics means this knowledge will feed into trade law and practice curricula and help prepare systematic institutional knowledge from university level.A second leg of the training zoomed in on the risk-based approach for state controls on food safety.Other laws under developmentIn its journey to bring its food control measures in line with WTO requirements, Uzbekistan is also formulating other key pieces of legislation with the help of the ITC.Notably, to support the WTO’s transparency principle, it is working on legislation to set up structures for handling animal and plant health safety queries from other countries once Uzbekistan is a WTO member. These are called the SPS National Notification Authority (NNA) and National Enquiry Point (NEP).It has also translated key WTO animal and plant health documentation into the Uzbek language. These will serve as source documents for the country to comply with international SPS standards and rules, and will help standardize technical SPS terminology in the national language.The assistance, coordinated by the ITC, was funded by the European Union under the project Facilitating the process of Uzbekistan’s accession to the WTO. The five-year initiative supports Uzbekistan’s negotiations at the WTO and helps develop technical skills to implement its agreements.

05.04.2024 291

Uzbekistan’s officials, students sharpen knowledge on trade remedies

Technicians and students learned how to launch, investigate, and impose trade remedy measures in training jointly organized by the ITC and a Tashkent-based university.Countries join the WTO because it is well established that the benefits of open trade outweigh its risks.Nevertheless, domestic industries do sometimes suffer from imports. When the injury results from unfair trade practices, or a sudden surge of imports, the WTO allows member countries to defend their industries by means of trade remedies.The remedies safeguard the interests of local producers by protecting them against unfair competition and nurturing infant industries.The ITC organized a two-day intensive session from 26-27 March, followed by two days of expert-focused technical discussions with the negotiating team on WTO accession, to unpack these defence measures for Uzbek officials.The training is the fifth course in the Trade Policy Accelerator Programme, organized by the ITC. It is part of continued efforts to hardwire deep knowledge on WTO topics for Uzbekistan’s journey towards WTO membership.Unfair trade, or infant industry protectionTrade remedies can be applied by governments on imports in three possible instances.The first two instances relate to unfair trade practices that have harmed domestic producers. If imports are dumped or subsidized and this is found to have injured the competing domestic industry, anti-dumping and countervailing measures, respectively, can be applied.The third category of trade defence relates to a surge of imported products that have caused, or may cause, serious injury to a local industry. In this case the harm does not stem from an unfair trade practice. Rather, the remedy is an emergency action to stabilize the home industry by putting in place safeguard measures.Building robust trade defence capacity in Uzbekistan is, therefore, crucial to safeguard the country's trade interests and ensure fair competition.The training introduced participants to the three agreements governing defence measures. They learned the formulas used to calculate dumping, subsidy and injury margins, and how to apply them. Several case studies illustrated the theory while practical experience was gained by simulating real-life scenarios.The training took place at UWED’s campus and online.Among the 20 participants, most were technicians who will be responsible for the new institutions to administer trade remedies. Students of UWED also benefited from the training, which was funded by the European Union under the project Facilitating the process of Uzbekistan’s accession to the WTO.

20.03.2024 335

Trade course unpacks WTO rules on agriculture for Uzbekistan’s negotiators

The fourth course in a trade policy accelerator programme helped build Uzbekistan’s capacity in WTO rules on agriculture. It was organized by the ITC and a Tashkent-based university.Agriculture is a sensitive sector because of its implications for food security. The sector is also a big employer and sustains rural livelihoods. This is especially true for Uzbekistan, with 28% of the workforce employed in agriculture. A quarter of the GDP also derives from the sector, according to the Food and Agricultural Organization.It is key, then, that Uzbekistan joins the WTO on terms that will keep its agricultural interests safe.For this reason, the ITC and the University of World Economy and Diplomacy hosted a course on agricultural trade to sharpen the skills of Uzbekistan’s policymakers and trade negotiators.The course delved into tariffs, and border measures that are unique to farm goods, such as seasonal duties and tariff rate quotas.Subsidies for agricultureGovernment support was also an important theme. Subsidies can distort trade as they create an unfair advantage in world markets for traders who get support over those who don’t. WTO rules try to strike a balance: allowing some support while striving to cap market distortions. This means some types of subsidies are allowed and others forbidden. The participants learned how these are grouped in the WTO’s so-called “green, amber and blue boxes”.They also learned about subsidies that developing countries can still use such as those for low-income farmers and investment in agriculture.The training made extensive use of case studies and WTO disputes on agricultural issues to show the practical effects of the rules. The experiences of China, Kazakhstan, Macedonia and Moldova were shared.35 officials were trained, including 12 from Uzbekistan’s WTO negotiating team. They were from the Ministries of Finance and Economy, Investment Industry and Trade, Agriculture, Justice, and the the competition and plant protection authorities, among others. UWED students could also attend.The training was organized with funding from the European Union under the project Facilitating the process of Uzbekistan’s accession to the WTO.

08.02.2024 389

Landmark WTO training programme launches for Uzbek policymakers

The University of World Economy and Diplomacy (UWED) in Tashkent will teach a comprehensive trade policy training programme to policymakers. The goal is to build Uzbekistan’s long-term institutional trade capacity.UWED, in collaboration with the International Trade Centre (ITC), on 27 January 2024 launched the extensive 11-course programme on topics linked to the World Trade Organization (WTO). The programme, to be taught by international trade experts alongside UWED professors, is tailored for Uzbekistan’s negotiators, policymakers, and other interested officials. The training sessions will run over the next four months, to provide comprehensive insights into WTO matters.As the country moves closer to joining the WTO, building institutional know-how to align national policies and laws with WTO requirements is crucial to help unlock benefits from joining the multilateral trading system. The programme acts as an accelerator to enhance knowledge about WTO trade topics – known as a field of formidable complexity.UWED equipped for the taskIn 2022, the reputable World Trade Institute (WTI) in Bern developed a customized postgraduate course in WTO law and practice for UWED. ITC commissioned this work with funding from the European Union. WTI also gave UWED professors intensive training so they can teach the course.This made UWED well-equipped to lay the academic foundation for a new generation of trade policymakers, diplomats, and practitioners to guide Uzbekistan’s foray into the global economy.The launch marked a ‘significant milestone’ on the road to a sustainable WTO membership, said Thomas Huet, Chargé d’Affairs at the EU Delegation in Uzbekistan, at the opening.The evolving complexities of global trade in the face of rapid advances in technology meant ‘continuous capacity building was paramount’, Huet remarked.Trade veteran gives first classesSome 40 trainees attended the first two days of courses, presented by Hamid Mamdouh, a senior counsel at trade law firm King & Spalding.On the first day, he explained the basic principles of non-discrimination (most-favoured nations and national treatment) and introduced the key agreements under the WTO umbrella. The terrain covered a brief overview of the agreements for each of the WTO’s three broad areas of trade: goods, services and intellectual property. The course also covered dispute settlement, and reviews of governments’ trade policies.On 28 January, the fundamentals of trade in services (regulated by the GATS) and trade-related investment measures (so-called TRIMS) were under the lens.The seminar emphasized fostering cooperation to ensure successful reforms and to facilitate Uzbekistan's accession to the WTO.Not only government officials stand to benefit. Umid Yakubhodjaev, Dean of faculty at UWED, who teaches the postgraduate WTO law programme, said the various courses would also be open to private practitioners when space permitted.About the projectThe ITC is the implementing partner of the European Union’s Facilitating the process of Uzbekistan’s accession to the WTO project. The five-year initiative seeks to support Uzbekistan's development plans to modernize its economy by leveraging its WTO accession process. The overarching objective of the project is to contribute to the country’s economic development.

26.02.2024 301

ITC, WTO work to build Uzbekistan’s negotiating skills on market access

A training course on 9 February strengthened the expertise of Uzbek trade negotiators on WTO market access. The training was given by WTO Secretariat experts.As the country moves toward joining the World Trade Organization (WTO), the country’s team needs to be skilled to negotiate a fair deal that will gain entry for traders into international markets and at the same ensure local business can compete against imports.That’s why the International Trade Centre (ITC) organized a day-long training. This initiative was born out of collaboration between the ITC and the University of World Economy and Diplomacy (UWED) in Tashkent.The training was aimed at trade negotiators and policymakers. It is part of an 11-course programme offered to accelerate long-term institutional trade capacity in support of Uzbekistan’s WTO membership. For the training, the WTO Secretariat collaborated with the ITC through the WTO Chairs Programme.Around 35 people joined the training on the UWED campus. Among them were members of Uzbekistan’s negotiating team, representatives from various governmental bodies, and students from UWED itself.The training comprised lectures given by experts from the WTO Secretariat’s Market Access Division, with modules on market access and tariff negotiations, non-tariff issues and quantitative restrictions, and import licensing procedures.Umid Yakubkhodjaev, the Dean of Faculty at the University of World Economy and Diplomacy, guided discussions on WTO market access, delving into the intricacies of Uzbekistan’s economy.Participants said they gained valuable insights into WTO market access and accession negotiations.Collaboration under the WTO Chairs ProgrammeWTO Secretariat participation in the training was facilitated by the WTO Chairs Programme. This programme was set up in 2010 by the WTO to enhance knowledge and understanding of the global trading system among academics and policymakers in developing countries. UWED joined the programme in 2022.

08.02.2024 438

World Trade Institute’s training boosts Uzbekistan’s expertise for WTO accession

Six government officials – including one of Uzbekistan’s WTO negotiating team – are attending courses at the World Trade Institute’s Winter Academy in January and February 2024. The WTI Winter Academy covers cutting-edge issues in trade and investment law and policy.The ITC arranged the technocrats’ participation in the academy to help foster deep knowledge about WTO disciplines as Uzbekistan gears up to join the multilateral trading system, which is governed by the WTO. The officials all hold crucial positions in their institutions. Two of them are also involved in drafting pioneering trade remedy legislation for the country to meet the WTO requirements.The delegates represent Uzbekistan’s Ministry of Investment, Industry and Trade (MIIT) and other specialist agencies for trade matters. These include the Competition Committee; the Competition Promotion and Consumer Protection Committee, the Customs Committee, and the Uzbek State Asset Management Agency.The courses align with the participants’ core responsibilities and cover the areas of WTO Law on Border Measures and Trade Facilitation; WTO Law on Anti-dumping and Safeguard Measures; WTO Law on Subsidies and Countervailing Measures; and Law and Policy of Trade in Services.Various trade professionals, who are known as veterans in their respective fields, are presenting the courses at the prestigious World Trade Institute in Bern, which has long been recognized as among the best training grounds for policymakers and practitioners in the areas of global trade and investment.This will allow the trainees to engage counterparts from other countries, as well as establish contact with top trade experts, and practitioners in trade remedies, market access, and trade in services fields.The European Union (EU) funded the officials’ enrollment under the project Facilitating the process of Uzbekistan’s accession to the WTO, of which the ITC is the implementing partner.

11.08.2023 394

Uzbek businesses learn about WTO rules on agriculture

As Uzbekistan readies to join the World Trade Organization (WTO), businesses are learning the global trade rules on farm goods.Agriculture earns a quarter of Uzbekistan’s gross domestic product and employs 27% of the workforce. That’s more than any other sector, and makes agriculture the most effective driver of reducing poverty and inequality, according to the Food and Agriculture Organization.That could become even more true as Uzbekistan joins the rules-based world economy.Training by the International Trade Centre (ITC) brought together producers of agricultural goods in all of the country’s regions. Workshops were held in the Republic of Karakalpakstan, Kashkadarya, Khorezm and Samarkand regions in January 2023. And during June and July 2023, a further nine workshops took place in Andijan, Bukhara, Djizzak, Ferghana, Namangan, Navoi, Syrdarya, Surkhandarya and Tashkent regions.Because farming directly affects security, countries tend to protect or support their sectors.Given that sensitivity, the training explained WTO’s approach to import tariffs. The trade body has capped and gradually brought down these duties to reduce the cost of traded goods over time. WTO rules also ensure tariffs are fair, without favouring some countries over others.Agricultural subsidy ‘boxes’ explainedThe WTO’s arcane subsidy categories were also unpacked. The so-called green box, amber box and blue box categories show which subsidies are allowed.Special and differential treatment was explained. Under this principle, developing countries have easier tariff reduction regimes than developed countries for a softer transition. This allows them to maintain higher levels of duties because of their sensitivities.The workshops were attended by 191 participants from agricultural producer and exporter companies, most at management or board level. A further 89 officials from relevant government organizations also participated.About the projectThe training was organized by the ITC with funding from the European Union under the Facilitating the process of Uzbekistan’s accession to the WTO project envelope. The five-year initiative supports Uzbekistan's development plans to modernize its economy by leveraging its WTO accession process. One of the key pillars of the project is to ensure that the private sector, including women’s business associations, are sufficiently familiarized with the effects WTO membership will have on them and how they can participate to benefit.

01.11.2023 530

Workshop unpacks market access negotiations in WTO

The terms set for access to Uzbekistan’s market will form the cornerstone of its accession to the World Trade Organization (WTO). Merchandize trade makes up more than 54% of Uzbekistan’s gross domestic product, according to data from the World Bank’s World Integrated Trade Solution database. This means the concessions and commitments it negotiates in the WTO in the area of goods will largely shape Uzbekistan’s economy when it joins the world economy. While there has been an exponential rise in services and technology-oriented issues in the global trading system, basic access of goods to markets remains the bulwark that anchors a country’s accession agreement with other WTO Members. Market access espouses the fundamental principles upon which countries agree to trade with one another under WTO rules. These staple elements include predictability, transparency, and fair competition that does not favour some countries over others. They are all aimed to advance growth-oriented economic reform and thereby contribute to a country’s development. Central to market access is the schedule of commitments, which an acceding government negotiates with its WTO partners before joining the organization. This fixes the tariffs levied when goods are imported into the country. Chief negotiator participates To unpack this cornerstone aspect of the WTO negotiations, the ITC organized a three-day training workshop for officials and trade associations in Uzbekistan. The workshop took place in Tashkent from 4 to 6 October and was opened by the special representative of the President of Uzbekistan on WTO issues and chief negotiator, Azizbek Urunov. Participants were given an overview of the WTO’s origin and functioning. And then the first two days treated fundamental elements such as the schedule of commitments and how the bilateral negotiations to establish market access to goods work. The last day took a hybrid format, which enabled the participation of remote parties, including key representatives of Tajikistan and Kazakhstan. They gave valuable practical advice on their countries’ experience of negotiating market access and how to handle specific challenges. WTO representatives also participated and gave an update of the state of play of Uzbekistan’s accession process. Participants in the workshop included representatives of the presidency, and the Ministries of Investment, Industry and Trade; of Justice; of Economy and Finance; and of Agriculture, as well as relevant state agencies such as the Customs Committee, the Competition Promotion and Consumer Protection Committee. Representatives of key industry associations also benefited from the workshop. The training was funded by the European Union under its project Facilitating the process of Uzbekistan’s accession to the WTO.

03.11.2023 518

Expertise on standards finetuned for Uzbekistan’s WTO accession

A niche workshop series for technicians helped build crucial knowledge to adopt international standards. International standards are an important signpost for global traders. Set by relevant international bodies, they ensure the safety and quality of products and help advance more efficient and cost-effective practices. The more international standards are used and recognized globally, the more they help reduce the burden of unnecessary cross-border regulations. Moreover, if a country follows them, its producers can trade on global markets. In the area of technical regulations, WTO Members are committed to comply with the rules and requirements under the Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT) Agreement. This means when Uzbekistan becomes a WTO Member it effectively has to comply with global technical standards. Specialized workshop series The ITC held a workshop series between July and October 2023 to develop the technical know how of relevant agencies in Uzbekistan dealing with such matters. Five modules were offered, covering key aspects in the field. Different international standards and their scope of application were under scrutiny in the first module, followed by a module on the benefits of standards and how they can advance the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals. The third module was dedicated to the European standardization system, as the EU is an important trading partner of Uzbekistan. The fourth module unpacked the process of adopting international standards. And the last module treated good practices in developing standards, and the financing of national standards bodies. The latter are agencies that develop national standards. As WTO Members are expected to 'play a full part, within the limits of their resources' in standard setting processes by international standardizing bodies, national standards bodies help ensure a country’s compliance with this requirement. However, the legal status of these bodies can vary from state-owned to fully private. This means their revenue models also vary. Using case studies, the last leg of the training unpacked the financing models of national standards bodies and explained intellectual property rights related to standards. Participants also came to grips with the six principles that guide the development of international standards and were introduced to the WTO ISO Standards Information Gateway. The latter is a list of all standardizing bodies party to the TBT Agreement’s Code of Good Conduct, and with information on their work programmes. Just under 300 technicians attended the various modules of the workshop series, with some attending multiple modules. The results of pre- and post-workshop assessments for participants who took them showed an 84% improvement in their knowledge about the adoption of international standards. Technical agencies across the spectrum benefited from the training, including the Agency for Technical Regulation, the Institute of Standards and the National Institute of Metrology. University professors of relevant departments also had opportunity to attend. The workshop series was funded by the European Union under its project Facilitating the process of Uzbekistan’s accession to the WTO.