Uzbekistan took an important step towards WTO membership

Uzbekistan has successfully completed one of the important stages on the path to joining the World Trade Organization (WTO). This was reported by Zamin.uz.

On December 21, 2025, during President Shavkat Mirziyoyev’s visit to Saint Petersburg, a protocol resolving market access issues related to WTO membership was signed between Uzbekistan and Russia. This document is expected to bring economic cooperation between the two countries to a new level.

The protocol was signed by the President’s special representative on WTO matters, Azizbek Orunov, and Russia’s Minister of Economic Development, Maxim Reshetnikov. Orunov emphasized that the negotiations were difficult but meaningful.

As a result of the parties’ constructive approach, an agreement favorable to Uzbekistan’s interests was reached. Special gratitude was expressed to the Russian side for their active assistance in this process.

The next step in Uzbekistan’s WTO membership process is to secure full membership in 2026. The Uzbek government will now focus on the following areas: accelerating multilateral negotiations with other WTO member states, aligning national legislation with the organization’s requirements, and completing all technical and political procedures.

Within this framework, the international community has recognized that Uzbekistan’s WTO accession efforts significantly accelerated in 2025. Our country plans to complete all necessary procedures before the 14th WTO Ministerial Conference.

This will expand opportunities for local producers to access international markets and create a fair competitive environment. At the same time, various opinions are being expressed regarding how WTO membership will affect the quality and price of local products.

Source: One.uz.