Facilitating the Process of Uzbekistan’s Accession to the WTO

Facilitating the Process of Uzbekistan’s Accession to the
WTO

The ‘Facilitating the process of Uzbekistan’s accession to the WTO’ project was set up to support Uzbekistan's development plans by assisting the country’s decision to integrate into the world economy through membership of the World Trade Organization. The project commenced in February 2020 with funding from the European Union and is implemented by the International Trade Centre (ITC). It is set to run for five-year period.

More about project

Foreseen results

ITC's work will increase the business sectors - including women's associations - awareness of the WTO accession process and benefits

Uzbekistan will have an increased capacity to comply with WTO Rules, in particular with regards to the SPS/TBT & Trade Facilitation Agreements of the WTO

The policymakers' understanding of the WTO accession process and it's legal framework will be reinforced

The executive and legislative branches wil be better informed to develop specific sectoral laws and regulations as needed to comply with Uzbekistan's new international commitments

The Uzbek government will be better equipped to draft the documents and develop its negotiating positions as required by the WTO accession procces

News

04.03.2025 263

Uzbekistan moves to draft national strategy on standardization

When Uzbekistan becomes a member of the World Trade Organization (WTO), its products and services aimed at the export market will need to comply with technical requirements and standards that apply globally.These kinds of requirements are an important marker for traders. They are set by relevant international bodies to ensure the safety and quality of products. Because they are used and recognized globally, such requirements help to reduce regulations and hassle at the border, which ultimately helps to lower technical barriers of traded goods.The WTO’s Agreements on Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT) and Sanitary and Phytosanitary measures (SPS) set the disciplines that guide countries’ approach to these requirements. Both agreements also encourage countries to participate in the development and maintenance of international standards.In parallel, there is a global impetus in international trade to use inputs, such as components and other intermediary products, from companies that operate quality management systems. Therefore, the TBT Agreement encourages countries to also adopt quality control systems that have been internationally agreed, such as the ISO 9000 system advanced by the International Standards Organization.Need to build critical skillsThis branch of global trade is complex and highly technical. Uzbekistan has therefore identified it as a priority area in which to build technical expertise.As part of this drive, the ITC organized a technical workshop at the request of the Uzbek Agency for Technical Regulation on the ISO methodology for developing a standardization strategy. The workshop was held from 20 to 24 January 2025 in Tashkent, and its key objective was to lay the foundation for the country to develop such a strategy.Thirty-eight technicians attended, representing Uzbekistan’s key quality control institutions, including the Uzbek Agency for Technical Regulation, the Institute of Standards, the National Institute of Metrology, the Centre for Accreditation, and the ‘UzTest’ laboratory centre.Context was given by explaining the economic, social and non-economic benefits of national standardization. The rest of the training provided a step-by-step method for developing the strategy, including how to effectively identify and engage key stakeholders in the process, and how to implement and monitor the strategy, once it has been developed.Identifying the gapsThirty participants from private quality control organizations, including testing laboratories and certification bodies, joined the last three days of the training. And 50 specialists from technical committees on standardization were also invited to attend the last day’s training which took place at the Institute of Standards.The trainer afterwards met with key officials to brief them on the results of the training and indicated knowledge gaps that would require further improvement.The mission was organized with funding from the EU under the project Facilitating the process of Uzbekistan’s accession to the WTO.24 January 2025, Tashkent, Uzbekistan – Technicians at the training on ISO methodology for the development of a national standarization strategy.Photo by UATR

27.11.2024 523

Latvia training shapes Uzbekistan’s rules and institutions

When Uzbekistan becomes a WTO member, it will need to meet the requirements and international standards of potential export markets.With farm products, the WTO’s Agreement on the Application of Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS) Measures determines how rules and standards are set and applied to protect human health, and animal and plant health.Uzbekistan has identified this complex area of World Trade Organization (WTO) requirements as a priority to build technical knowledge.To this aim, four senior officials travelled to Latvia in September for five days of training to gain first-hand knowledge on implementing and applying the SPS Agreement. Latvia is a European Union member, and the delegation were also familiarized with the EU’s SPS risk controls system – generally considered as global best practice.The training shared both technical expertise and acquainted the specialists with the institutions of Latvia’s food import and control systems. The officials were hosted by Latvia’s Food and Veterinary Service (FVS).The experience has had a direct bearing on lawmaking. Uzbekistan’s draft food safety rules were finetuned after the training. Its institutions will also take a cue from the Latvian experience, the visiting officials confirmed.Institutions and toolsThe first day of the training introduced the FVS’s structure, operations, and resources. A session was dedicated to general requirements for exporting animal products to the EU.On the second day they visited the scientific institute BIOR, Latvia’s national reference laboratory for public and environmental health, food, fishery and veterinary medicine.Over the next days, the delegation visited the border control post at Riga’s port. They were also familiarized with the EU’s TRACES platform and Rapid Alert System for Food and Feed (RASFF).The RASFF is a tool that ensures swift action when a risk from the food chain threatens public health. TRACES is the EU’s platform where requisite certificates are issued and compliance with EU requirements is monitored. The system is highly rated for its efficacy, transparency and traceability and already in use by 90 countries.Training aids rule reformsThe delegation represented key institutions related to SPS:- the Sanitary-Epidemiological Welfare and Public Healthcare Committee (San-Epid Committee), which oversees food safety,- the Agency of Plant Protection and Quarantine, which oversees plant health,- the Veterinary and Livestock Development Committee, which is in charge of animal health and veterinary issues, and- the Customs Committee, which is responsible for Uzbekistan's imports and exports.The knowledge gained helped shape food safety reforms in Uzbekistan, said the delegate of the San-Epid Committee, which is the lead institution coordinating the draft Law on Food Safety.The evolution of the Latvian system was of particular interest because the two countries’ original systems were similar. Latvia’s experience could therefore be a useful example for Uzbekistan.The delegation also tipped Latvia’s BIOR Institute as a model to improve Uzbekistan’s food safety laboratories.The training attachment was organized by the International Trade Centre (ITC) at the San-Epid Committee’s request, with funding from the EU under the project Facilitating the process of Uzbekistan’s accession to the WTO. It took place from 23 to 27 September in the Latvian capital Riga.

02.09.2024 736

Intensive training for Uzbekistan’s trade officials on WTO Agreements on customs practices

The World Trade Organization (WTO) not only ensures open and fair trade between countries but also prioritizes the smooth and efficient movement of goods across borders.Uzbekistan government officials participated in a comprehensive and accelerated training on customs issues under dedicated WTO Agreements.The WTO rules on customs evaluation, Rules of Origin, and the Trade Facilitation Agreement are among the core agreements of the WTO dealing with customs matters.The ITC in collaboration with WTO Secretariat organized the online course on 21 August 2024.For players in international trade, the process of estimating the value of a product at customs presents challenges that can be as serious as the actual duty rate charged.The WTO Agreement on Customs Valuation aims for a fair, uniform and neutral system for the valuation of goods for customs purposes — a system that conforms to commercial realities, and which outlaws the use of arbitrary or fictitious customs values.Rules of origin are the criteria needed to determine the national source (so-called “nationality” or “origin”) of a product. Their importance is derived from the fact that import duties and restrictions in different cases depend upon the source of imports. There is wide variation in the practice of governments concerning the rules of origin.Rules of origin play a crucial role in determining the trade regime applicable to imported products. They are particularly important in the context of free trade agreements, where preferential treatment is granted under specific rules of origin (nationality of the product). Additionally, for non-WTO members, rules of origin can influence how their products are treated, potentially excluding them from the benefits of the WTO's Most-Favoured-Nation (MFN) regime. Furthermore, rules of origin are essential when countries impose antidumping measures on specific products from particular countries, ensuring that such measures are applied accurately and fairly.Rules of origin are therefore crucial for Uzbekistan in order to be able to take full advantage of the offered opportunities within the multilateral trading system, especially in the context of the preferential trade regimes.Streamlining customs proceduresThe Trade Facilitation Agreement was negotiated in an attempt to streamline and modernize border procedures and to improve customs cooperation between Member countries to ease the flow of imports and exports.Countries’ customs processes are often cumbersome, outdated, and not harmonized. This causes a bureaucratic burden that adds unnecessary costs and delays when goods have to cross borders. The agreement seeks to speed up the movement, release and clearance of goods in transit and at borders.The agreement also allows for developing countries to implement the measures according to their capacity under what is known as the special and differential treatment principle.Twenty-five participants attended the training – either online or in person. Among them were Uzbekistan’s chief negotiator at the WTO, as well as government officials from core ministries and customs authorities.Customs representative, Shukurullo Muminov, welcomed the capacity-building activities as ‘particularly useful’. He and colleague Jamshid Isomurodov asked practical questions about implementing the WTO’s Customs Valuation Agreement and the Trade Facilitation Agreement.UWED students currently doing internships at the country’s WTO Task Force also attended the sessions, which were delivered by two well-known experts from the WTO Secretariat, Darlan Marti and Jesse Nicol.The ITC, in collaboration with the University of World Economy and Diplomacy in Tashkent and the WTO Chairs Programme, organized the accelerated Trade Training Programme with funding from the European Union as part of the EU’s project Facilitating the process of Uzbekistan’s accession to the WTO.

26.08.2024 778

Training at WTI and CSW Summer Academies bolster Uzbekistan’s trade expertise

“We learned practical skills for handling conflicts and using international agreements. This will help Uzbekistan work better with investors and speed up the process of joining the WTO.”This was the word from one of the senior officials who attended courses at the World Trade Institute’s (WTI’s) Summer Academy, which ran from 1-19 July 2024 in Bern, Switzerland.The ITC helped enrol four senior trade officials of Uzbekistan in relevant courses at the prestigious institute to hone their skills in support of Uzbekistan’s WTO accession process.Another two senior officials travelled to India where the Centre for WTO Studies (CWS) also offered a joint Summer Academy with the WTI in New Delhi from 3-28 June 2024. It was the first time that officials from Uzbekistan attended courses at the CWS, as the ITC established a new collaborative partnership with the centre.Building the technical knowledge and skills of officials on the content of the WTO agreements and its legal framework will be a bulwark to help Uzbekistan draw benefits from its WTO membership.Learning and networkingThe WTI’s and CSW’s summer academies are designed to advance expertise in selected trade topics. The courses are offered by leading trade professionals in their respective fields. The summer academies are a favoured training ground for diplomats and trade officials. This gave the trainees chance to also network with counterparts from the rest of the world.The WTI has long been acknowledged as one of the leading global training centres on international trade law and economics. The ITC has a longstanding relationship with the WTI and has also collaborated with the institute to establish a course on WTO law at the Tashkent-based University of World Economy and Diplomacy to academically evolve trade know how in the country.The officials who travelled to Bern attended courses on ‘International Investment Law and Sustainable Development’, and on ‘International Contracts Regarding Cross-Border Trade and Investment’.The officials who travelled to New Delhi attended courses on ‘Essentials of WTO Law – an Introduction to the Economics of Trade’ and ‘Economics and Practice of Global Services Trade, Preferential Trade Agreements and Тrаdе and Environment’.One of the attendants praised the excellence of the lecturers and said the courses imparted the necessary experience and knowledge in the fields of services regulation, trade, and environment.Sustainable development“This рrоgrаmmе will provide the necessary skills for the accession of the Republic of Uzbekistan to the WTO. I believe that the knowledge and skills gained frоm this рrоgrаmmе will bе of great value when l return… The knowledge and experience gained… will be used in future work.”Another trainee appreciated the link established in the training with sustainable development: “Participating in the WTI course helped us to understand how international investment rules work with sustainable development. This is important for joining the WTO.”The participants are all senior officials in the Ministry of Investments, Industry and Trade – the lead ministry responsible for trade matters and the WTO negotiations. The departments of Trade Negotiations and the WTO, Cooperation with the WTO, Harmonization of National Legislation with WTO Agreements, and the division of Economic Analysis and Strategic Programs Development were represented.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.

15.07.2024 760

Subsidies training builds Uzbekistan capacity before WTO membership

A training on subsidies, state aid, and competition in the trade context, helped policymakers navigate this key trade area ahead of Uzbekistan’s accession to the World Trade Organization (WTO).Subsidies are a form of government support that makes business activity cheaper. Most countries use them, either to lower the cost of goods or to stimulate economic activity in the public interest, as they encourage businesses to undertake activities they normally would not. An example is the subsidies for solar panels to help energy users migrate to cleaner energy sources. Nascent industries are often nurtured into through subsidization.But subsidies do not only have positive effects, because producers who get them have an unfair advantage over those who do not. They can distort trade, and as such they are regulated by the WTO.The WTO does not ban subsidies outright. Member States can support their businesses, as long as it does not harm the interests of other WTO Members. Only subsidies that directly boost exports or favour domestic over imported goods (import-substitution subsidies) are prohibited outright.Subsidies are treated in several agreements of the WTO – notably the GATT, the Agreement on Subsidies and Countervailing Measures (the SCM Agreement), the Agreement on Agriculture.The ITC organized a training for policymakers – at the campus of the University of World Economy and Diplomacy (UWED) and online – on 19 and 25 June, on key aspects of WTO rules on subsidies, state aid and competition. The well-respected expert Luca Rubini gave the training.The training was the seventh course of the joint ITC-UWED WTO trade policy programme to fast-track policymakers’ knowledge on WTO topics.Subsidies and competitionThe participants came to grips with the WTO’s definition of subsidies, and the effects of these incentives on trade and competition. They learned how to identify actionable subsidies and how subsidies work in the case of State Trading Enterprises. Participants also learned about state aid and competition provisions through the WTO legal framework and current free trade agreements.Practical exercises and case studies supplemented the training and relevant dispute settlement cases were under the lens. The course also drilled into the specifics of subsidies in agriculture. Agriculture is an important sector in Uzbekistan, and through group discussions, participants learned how to implement the SCM Agreement provisions in Uzbekistan, focusing on agricultural subsidies.Twenty-three policymakers attended the training. Ubekistan’s chief negotiator Azizbek Urunov was present, as well as representatives from the Ministry of Investment and International Trade, the Ministry of Economy and Finance, the Ministry of Agriculture, the Ministry of Justice, the Antimonopoly Authority, the Plant Protection and Quarantine Agency, the State Assets Management Agency and other relevant government department and agencies.The ITC facilitated the training with funding from the European Union as part of its project titled Facilitating the process of Uzbekistan’s accession to the WTO project.

14.08.2024 746

Fast-tracking knowledge about WTO’s agreement on intellectual property rights

From Bukhara carpets, Rishtan ceramics and Samarkand bread to Ferghana Valley apricots and Uzbek saffron. These are just some of the products unique to Uzbekistan that have the potential to garner intellectual property right protection in the trade sphere.So-called geographical indications (GIs) recognize that a product originates from a specific region and that a quality, reputation or other characteristic is uniquely associated with its geographical origin.GIs are a form of intellectual property rights (IPR) protection inscribed in the World Trade Organization (WTO’s) TRIPS Agreement, a key topic for trade.The International Trade Centre (ITC) organized a two-day lecture for government officials and students in Tashkent on 16 and 17 July 2024 to bridge knowledge gaps in this intricate, yet vital discipline in international trade.Key to innovationIntellectual property protection is key to innovation-led development. By protecting IP rights, a country ensures that its innovators can benefit from their inventions, artistic ideas, or trademarks. This helps encourage innovation, which can unlock technological know-how and facilitate its smooth dissemination to the benefit of producers and users. This, in turn, boosts social and economic welfare.Using real-world scenarios, case studies and interactive discussion, the course introduced the key principles of the TRIPS Agreement and its objectives. The core elements of IP protection, namely patents, trademarks, and copyright, and how they worked were detailed.The second day of training was practically oriented with analysis of WTO dispute cases involving TRIPS and discussion of lessons learned from other countries. Participants also tested their skills through TRIPS compliance exercises.The course was the eighth in an 11-course Trade Policy Training Programme designed by ITC. Its aim is to fast-track trade skills ahead of Uzbekistan’s accession to the WTO.Twenty officials, including WTO negotiators, and students of the University of World Economy and Diplomacy attended.IPR expert Irene Calboli gave the lecture. She also had a side meeting with members of Uzbekistan’s WTO negotiating team for technical discussions on IPR.The mission was funded by the European Union’s Facilitating the process of Uzbekistan’s accession to the WTO project, of which the ITC is the implementing partner.

05.07.2024 776

Uzbekistan’s technicians navigate EU import rules on animal products

Exporters of consumable animal and plant products have to comply with strict food safety requirements and standards to ensure public health. With its considerable agricultural activity, Uzbekistan will need to know how to navigate these requirements for its exports once it becomes a WTO member.The World Trade Organization’s Agreement on the Application of Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures (SPS) governs how rules and standards for consumable animal products are set, adopted and applied to protect human, animal and plant life or health. Its overall aim is to ensure trade is not unnecessarily impeded by such requirements.The rules and standards are set by international standards setting bodies – the Codex Alimentarius, the International Plant Protection Convention, and the World Organization on Animal Health. But some regions’ requirements can be more stringent, if it is scientifically justified for human, animal and plant life or health protection. The European Union is one of these regions.As the biggest importer of food globally, the EU could be an attractive market for potential exports from Uzbekistan. To help the country navigate EU requirements, the International Trade Centre (ITC) organized an expert workshop on 12 and 13 June.Residue controlIt homed in on the EU’s requirements for the control of residues in animal products. This means animal-based imports are monitored for residues of pharmacologically active substances, contaminants or pesticides to ensure they are at levels established by the EU to be safe for human consumption. The European Commission also maintains a list of third countries with approved residue control plans.The ITC workshop familiarized technical experts with all aspects of the EU’s residue control plans.The first day unpacked the requirements a country, seeking market access in the EU, has to go through to set up a residue control plan. Participants learned how to structure such a plan and about the procedural mechanisms to get approval. Templates of the plans were also provided.The second day simulated the drafting and implementation of residue control plans. Participants came to grips with practical aspects of sampling and sample management, including transport, delivery time and storage. Testing strategies and the validation of the methods were explored, and quality assurance and accreditation requirements for residue testing laboratories were explained.The workshop was funded by the European Union’s Facilitating the process of Uzbekistan’s accession to the WTO project, of which the ITC is the implementing partner.

21.06.2024 1078

Integration in world economy could boost Central Asia’s trade

Countries in Central Asia can foster closer regional ties and increase trade amongst one another if they are all members of the World Trade Organization (WTO).This emerged at the second Central Asia Trade Policy Forum, held from 3-5 June 2024 in Almaty, Kazakhstan. It brought together senior representatives of the five Central Asian countries and Azerbaijan to discuss the region’s integration into the global economy through WTO accession. The event was jointly organized by the WTO, the International Trade Centre (ITC) and the Asian Development Bank, in partnership with the government of Kazakhstan.Among the attendees were eight senior government representatives of Uzbekistan, led by Azizbek Urunov, special representative of the President of Uzbekistan on WTO issues and the country’s chief negotiator at the WTO.WTO Director-General Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala gave the keynote address at the high-level event. She noted that the overall accession experience for the region had been positive, with Kazakhstan and Tajikistan, within five years of joining the WTO, seeing their goods exports of goods grow by 14% and the value of foreign investment inward FDI swell by 41%.‘Missing piece in the puzzle’‘“The more countries are bound by the same set of international rules, the more they tend to trade among themselves, especially in a region where intra-regional trade is below its potential. Central Asia is of great significance to the WTO and a key missing piece in the global multilateral trading system,’” she told the gathering.Trade among the countries of Central Asia is currently at a modest 10%, despite their proximity and shared culture and history. Moreover, their total trade with the world is low, with only 40% of the region’s gross domestic product (GDP) deriving from exports. This presents considerable scope for the countries to expand their economies through trade.Common rules and proceduresIf all the countries in the region are members of the WTO, their trade rules and procedures will automatically be harmonised, making it easier and cheaper to do business across borders in the region. This would give a healthy injection to economic activity thereby benefiting the whole population of the region.Kazakhstan, the Kyrgyz Republic and Tajikistan respectively joined the WTO in 2015, 1998 and 2013. Uzbekistan’s accession process is already well advanced. With Azerbaijan and Turkmenistan now also in the process of joining the WTO, this could give impetus to regional integration in Central Asia and generally bolster trade.The forum created a platform to share experiences and lessons learned on WTO accessions and post-accession to enhance acceding countries’ knowledge about the policy implications of WTO membership.The ITC is assisting both Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan with their WTO accessions, with funding from the EU. This support includes helping to formulate negotiating positions, reviewing relevant laws and policies to ensure compliance with WTO requirements, and building technical capacity so officials could effectively implement the WTO agreements.The overarching purpose of the assistance is to support these countries’ development plans to modernize their economies by leveraging the WTO accession.

17.06.2024 831

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 814

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 873

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 1241

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.