Azizbek Urunov: Uzbekistan Took a Decisive Step Toward WTO Accession in 2025

Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) — 2025 was a pivotal year for Uzbekistan on its path to joining the World Trade Organization (WTO), said Azizbek Urunov, the presidential representative for WTO affairs and the country’s chief negotiator.

He noted that the year was marked by intensified bilateral and multilateral negotiations, legislative harmonization, and sustained engagement on the international stage.

According to Urunov, bilateral market access negotiations were completed with 33 of the 34 WTO members, more than 40 negotiation rounds and several working group meetings were conducted, and over 200 written issues were addressed.

He added that agreements were signed with key trading partners, including the EU, China, Russia, the United Kingdom, Switzerland, Canada, and Australia. Only one bilateral session remains, which is expected to conclude in 2026.

At the multilateral level, high-level meetings were held with the WTO Director-General, Uzbekistan participated in key international events in New York and Geneva, and official visits strengthened political accountability for the accession process.

As part of legislative harmonization and institutional reforms, 30 regulatory acts were adopted, including laws, presidential decrees, Cabinet of Ministers’ resolutions, and departmental regulations, with 29 additional draft acts prepared. Comprehensive reforms were carried out in customs regulation, export duties, intellectual property protection, technical regulation, and SPS and TBT measures.

In the field of capacity building, 30 specialized seminars were organized, over 60 officials received training on WTO agreements, more than 1,200 regulatory documents underwent expert review, and 65 official notifications and documents were submitted to the WTO Secretariat.

Significant progress was noted on the schedules of goods and services, final discussions began on disciplines regarding export duties, freedom of transit, and trade facilitation, and active participation in sectoral WTO agreements continues.

For 2026, plans include completing the remaining bilateral negotiation session, concluding multilateral negotiations, fully harmonizing legislation, and taking decisive steps to finalize WTO accession.

Urunov emphasized that the progress achieved reflects coordinated institutional work, strong political support, and constructive engagement with WTO members. “Uzbekistan’s path toward integration into the global trading system continues with substance, trust, and momentum,” he concluded.

Uzbekistan aims to complete the accession process ahead of the 14th WTO Ministerial Conference, scheduled for 2026 in Cameroon.