Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) -- Today, on 22 November 2021, the British Embassy in Tashkent, in partnership with the Ministry of Investment and Foreign Trade of Uzbekistan, organized a press conference on Uzbekistan’s accession to the Expanded Scheme of the Generalized System of Preferences of Great Britain (Expanded GSP Scheme). 

Mr Kenan Poleo, Her Majesty’s Trade Commissioner for Eastern Europe and Central Asia, arrived in Uzbekistan on his first official visit to participate in a media briefing together with His Excellency Sardor Umurzakov, Deputy Prime Minister - Minister of Investment and Foreign Trade.

Uzbekistan was officially admitted to the UK’s Expanded GSP Scheme on 1 November 2021 after intense efforts by both governments to complete the process in just 6 months. One of the factors in granting the beneficiary status of the Expanded GSP Scheme was that Uzbekistan has successfully ratified 27 key international conventions in the field of human rights, labor standards, environment and good governance.

Uzbekistan became the first country to become a beneficiary of the UK’s Enhanced GSP Scheme, which sends a very positive signal that both countries intend to expand bilateral trade relations, especially now that ZERO import duties have been established on more than 7,800 types of goods produced in Uzbekistan.

The expanded GSP gives Uzbekistan access to the world’s fifth largest economy and the world’s most international consumer and retail market at over £437 billion. For the UK, this creates a "trade bridge" with the fastest growing country in the region, which is a key regional hub, and also facilitates access to unique textile, agricultural and many other products of Uzbekistan.