Uzbekistan Accelerates World Trade Oganization Accession with Goal for Full Membership in 2026
Tashkent, The Gulf Observer: President Shavkat Mirziyoyev has reviewed a comprehensive report on Uzbekistan’s progress toward joining the World Trade Organization (WTO), outlining a strategic path to finalize membership by 2026.
Milestones in Global Negotiations
The year 2025 marked a period of significant diplomatic momentum for Uzbekistan. Key achievements in the negotiation process include:
- Bilateral Progress: Negotiations were successfully completed with 11 additional countries last year, bringing the total number of nations with finalized agreements to 33.
- Working Party Meetings: Two major sessions were held with the WTO Working Party, during which Uzbek officials provided answers to over 200 inquiries and submitted more than 30 documents regarding foreign trade policies.
- Intensive Dialogue: Representatives engaged in more than 40 rounds of bilateral negotiations to align trade interests.
Legislative Harmonization and Market Reforms
Uzbekistan has implemented large-scale legal reforms to align its domestic framework with international standards. In 2025 alone, 68 legal and regulatory acts were brought into compliance with WTO requirements.
Key structural changes include:
- Technical Barriers: Mandatory state registration for high-risk products has been replaced by a streamlined certification system.
- Standardization: Mandatory certification requirements were eliminated for 747 commodity items, reducing the list by 27%, while 14 technical regulations on food products were abolished.
- Intellectual Property: Registration procedures have been simplified, and penalties for violations have been strengthened.
- Trade Liberalization: Export restrictions and minimum export prices for specific goods have been abolished in favor of transparent export duty mechanisms.
Enhanced Safety and Oversight
The reform process has also prioritized public health and safety through scientific justification. Food safety oversight has been consolidated under the Committee for Sanitary and Epidemiological Well-being and Public Health. Furthermore, new laws regarding food safety and trade defense measures are being adopted to implement advanced procedures for risk analysis and traceability in veterinary medicine and quarantine sectors.
Roadmap to 2026
Following the presentation, President Mirziyoyev issued specific instructions to ensure the systematic continuation of these efforts. The administration’s primary focus for the coming year will be the completion of all remaining bilateral and multilateral negotiations and the full alignment of foreign economic legislation with WTO rules to secure formal membership by 2026.
