On March 16, the first meeting of the republican interdepartmental commission on work with the World Trade Organization (WTO) was held, the press service of the Minister of Investment and Foreign Trade of Uzbekistan reported.

During the meeting, the progress in implementing the current tasks was discussed, organizational and legal issues of the negotiation process on Uzbekistan’s accession to the WTO were worked out. A draft memorandum on the foreign trade regime was considered and approved, taking into account the constructive notes and comments of the members of the interdepartmental commission.

It was also instructed to draw up a detailed plan of activities for the working groups on assessing the consequences of WTO accession, customs issues, preparing information on domestic support and export subsidies in agriculture, on developing measures in policies affecting trade in services, on making proposals for tariff concessions and illustrative issues within the framework of an agreement on sanitary and phytosanitary sanctions, agreements on the application of technical barriers to trade and the WTO agreement on trade aspects of intellectual property rights.

In order to enhance the work on accession process, seminars will be held on a regular basis for employees of relevant departments who are directly involved in legal and organizational procedures, with the involvement of relevant specialists and foreign experts.

It should be recalled that in November 2017, President Shavkat Mirziyoyev said that Uzbekistan is restoring the work on joining the WTO. To date, 164 states are members of the organization. Uzbekistan acts as an observer state.