President Mirziyoyev Advocates Strengthened Trade, Digitalization, and Industrial Cooperation with EAEU

Saint Petersburg, The Gulf Observer: President of the Republic of Uzbekistan, Shavkat Mirziyoyev, participated as an observer head of state in the regular meeting of the Supreme Eurasian Economic Council on December 21 in Saint Petersburg.

The meeting, chaired by President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko, was attended by Prime Minister of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan, President of Kazakhstan Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, President of Kyrgyzstan Sadyr Japarov, and President of Russia Vladimir Putin. Key agenda items included expanding multilateral trade and economic cooperation, supporting industrial cooperation projects, advancing transport development, and implementing joint programs in priority areas of collaboration.

President Mirziyoyev highlighted Uzbekistan’s active engagement in several EAEU sectoral programs, including trade and freight digitalization, e-commerce, and climate change mitigation. He noted that the Cooperation Plan with the Eurasian Economic Commission through 2026 is being systematically implemented, encompassing approximately 40 initiatives across trade, industry, finance, agro-industry, transport, and other sectors. The fifth meeting of the joint Working Group is scheduled next year in Tashkent.

During the session, the Council adopted a decision to begin negotiations on establishing a mechanism for exchanging information on goods and vehicles moving across the customs borders of Uzbekistan and the EAEU. “We are confident that cross-border data exchange will enhance the efficiency of customs control, reduce delays, and facilitate the integration of our transport systems into Eurasian corridors,” the President of Uzbekistan emphasized.

Focusing on mutually beneficial cooperation, President Mirziyoyev called for the gradual elimination of bilateral trade barriers and stressed the need to intensify coordination between CIS and EAEU institutions to harmonize technical regulations and sanitary and phytosanitary standards. He proposed the development of a roadmap to eliminate excessive procedures and standardize requirements and recommended establishing a joint Uzbekistan–EAEU Coordination Group on tariff and non-tariff barriers to address differences in technical regulations, certification, and customs administration.

To expand industrial collaboration, the President suggested jointly developing a portfolio of projects in mechanical engineering, energy, agro-industrial, chemical, and other sectors. In connection with Uzbekistan’s accession to the Eurasian Development Bank, he proposed identifying strategic areas of partnership and creating a roadmap for priority infrastructure, green projects, and support for small and medium-sized enterprises.

Regarding digital cooperation, President Mirziyoyev emphasized the digitalization of customs administration and the adoption of a “seamless” freight transportation model. “We propose preparing, together with the EEC, a roadmap for integrating digital platforms, including e-commerce and digital labeling,” he noted. Uzbekistan also expressed interest in joining the EAEU’s technological platforms in biomedicine, new materials, agrotechnologies, energy, and robotics.

Highlighting tourism cooperation, the President affirmed Uzbekistan’s readiness to participate in developing an integrated information resource to promote tourism exchanges and integrate tourism products.

Concluding his address, President Mirziyoyev reaffirmed Uzbekistan’s firm commitment to expanding a comprehensive and mutually beneficial partnership with the Eurasian Economic Union.