Uzbekistan’s parliamentarians prepare for their role in WTO accession
08.09.2025 115
As Uzbekistan enters the final phase of its preparations to join the World Trade Organization (WTO), its parliamentarians received intensive training to ground their knowledge on WTO issues for their work ahead.
Through their regulatory and oversight role, Uzbekistan’s parliamentarians will play a central role in implementing the country’s WTO commitments. The Oliy Majlis – the country’s parliament – will evaluate policies and laws as they are drafted or amended in line with WTO requirements. They are also responsible for the eventual enactment of the legislation.
The alignment process with WTO trade remedy requirements is already underway, starting with the review of draft legislation on anti-dumping, countervailing duties, and safeguard measures. These drafts are expected to be submitted to parliament for consideration in the near future.
As the link between government and citizens, Uzbekistan’s parliamentarians weigh up public interests and will assess how the WTO membership will impact their constituents’ lives. They also help shape public opinion by explaining the risks and opportunities and address public concerns.
To be able to do all of this effectively, the parliamentarians need nuanced understanding of WTO issues, which are highly complex and technical.
To develop this institutional know-how, the ITC designed an intensive course specifically geared at parliamentarians’ needs. The overall objective was to promote a comprehensive, whole-of-government approach to the accession process.
The course was taught from 13 to 16 August 2025 in Tashkent and online by veteran experts in the field: Peter van den Bossche is a former chair of the WTO Appellate Body, Arthur Appleton is a foremost international lawyer and advisor on trade issue to governments, while Hamid Mamdouh is former Director of the WTO’s Trade in Services and Investment Division and an international trade lawyer.
Foundational knowledge
Over four days, the course established foundational knowledge on the broad spectrum of issues that are part of Uzbekistan’s WTO accession.
The first day introduced core WTO principles and then unpacked the disciplines on trade in goods. The second day drilled into agricultural trade, subsidies and trade remedies, while the third day delved into technical barriers to trade and animal and plant health measures. The last day treated intellectual property rights and services trade.
The training gave participants ample chance to quiz the trainers on practical WTO matters already on their agendas. Robust discussion was had on subsidies and forms of local support that would be compatible with WTO rules. Environmental protection and state trading were discussed, and participants asked penetrating questions about key issues in agricultural trade as the sector is a strategic one for Uzbekistan.
Thirty parliamentarians benefited from the training, which was funded by the European Union under the project Facilitating the process of Uzbekistan’s accession to the WTO.