Uzbekistan advances its bid for WTO membership

Uzbek officials face a significant challenge in their pursuit of World Trade Organization membership, with a government report indicating that only 29% of the country's laws and standards align with WTO regulations, News.Az reports citing foreign media.

Earlier this year, President Shavkat Mirziyoyev outlined a desire for Uzbekistan to qualify for WTO membership as soon as 2026. At an October 10 meeting to discuss the membership drive, Mirziyoyev noted some progress had been made toward harmonizing standards, but he emphasized “much work remains ahead of us,” if the country wants to meet the 2026 target.

Product development and quality control are areas in need of major improvements, Mirziyoyev indicated. Currently only 105 out of 269 laboratories in Uzbekistan are operating according to international standards. The Uzbek president wants all 269 facilities to comply with WTO rules by the end of 2025. The president also issued instructions to “improve the system of personnel training,” according to a report distributed by Gazeta.uz

WTO membership figures centrally in Mirziyoyev’s plans to transform Uzbekistan into an exporter of durable goods, clothing and food products, instead of a supplier of raw materials.

Gaining WTO membership involves a lengthy negotiation process overseen on the organization’s side by what is known as a “working party.” The WTO established a working party in 1994 to consider Uzbekistan's qualifications, but the process was moribund until Mirziyoyev issued a decree this past June to promote reforms designed to align Uzbek standards with the WTO’s.

WTO membership agreements are negotiated individually with each aspiring member state, but all entail requirements to create a liberal trade framework, founded upon fair and transparent policies and practices.

News.Az