Uzbekistan’s WTO Accession Process – Phase II

The Project at A Glance

The Government of Uzbekistan resumed its WTO membership negotiations in 2020. An updated Memorandum on the Foreign Trade Regime (MFTR) has been prepared and WTO members have commented on this new version. Discussions have also taken place on the development of an updated Legislative Action Plan (LAP).

International Economics (IEC) is working with the UK-funded Trade and Investment Advocacy Fund (TAF2+), to support Uzbekistan’s National Trade Facilitation Committee (NTFC), which include the Office of the President and the Ministry of Foreign Investment and Trade (MIFT), in the country’s accession process to the WTO, specifically in capacity building.

What We Found

This capacity building activity focusses on training and capacity building for the members of the Uzbek NTFC on the WTO Trade-Related Aspects of International Property Rights (TRIPS) and Trade-Related Investment Measures (TRIMS) agreements.

The team designed and implemented capacity building sessions over four-days aimed at summarising the current state of play as well as the key tenants of both the TRIPS and TRIMS agreements. These sessions also included recommendations for alignment with the WTO agreements as well as international best practices from countries which recently have gone through the process of aligning national legislation to the WTO’s.

Our Strategy and Impact

The support will result in well-trained staff with a greater understanding of international law, international trade and investment, dispute resolutions, trade agreements and negotiating skills. This will benefit the Uzbek NTFCs as they proceed with the draft agreements on goods and services schedules during the accession process.

Our Core Solutions

With the rapid proliferation of trade agreements worldwide, there are new market and investment opportunities for countries to explore. We prepare clients to navigate trade and investment negotiations and advocate for their best interests. We also provide customised advocacy solutions for sustainable growth. From determining our clients’ specific requirements and interests to designing an effective strategy, we represent and advocate for our clients in various trade-related matters and facilitate coordination between different organisations.