CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES FOR DEVELOPING COUNTRIES IN WTO ACCESSION: A CASE STUDY OF UZBEKISTAN
Keywords:
Keywords: World Trade Organization, Transition economies, Uzbekistan Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS), protectionist policies, foreign investment, economic reforms, market competition, bilateral agreements, copyright enforcement, trade remedies.Abstract
The Accession to the World Trade Organization has been one of the challenging decisions of transition countries, to open market access from centrally governed economy to real market competition. Many states of the Commonwealth of Independence (CIS) successfully joined the WTO in recent years, and outcomes seem to be different according to the individual characteristics of each market. Uzbekistan has been processing for accession since 1994, however, the country has not progressed due to protectionist policies and favorable treatment, which impacted its attractiveness for foreign investors. The change of Cabinet in 2016 seems promising for economic and political reforms, the government considers Accession as one of the pivotal paths of development. This research paper discusses experiences of other transition states and provides some recommendations to Uzbek Accession, taking into account its national characteristics.
References
Economic Journal Report 2019: Uzbekistan's export industries and government subsidies. The report details the impact of the Uzbek government's support for domestic industries, including tax cuts, export bonuses, and subsidies, and how these have affected competitiveness in the global market.
WTO Dispute Settlement Understanding (DSU): The World Trade Organization's DSU framework provides the mechanisms for resolving trade disputes between member states. It includes the procedures for challenging trade practices that violate WTO rules, including the use of subsidies and internal barriers to trade.
Article XV of the Marrakesh Agreement Establishing the WTO: This article outlines the provisions for member states to withdraw from the WTO, emphasizing the irreversibility of membership and the economic consequences of withdrawal.
General Agreement on Trade in Services (GATS): The GATS framework that Kazakhstan had to comply with during its WTO accession includes commitments to liberalize services and subsectors. This serves as a comparative analysis for Uzbekistan's potential obligations under the WTO.
WTO Plus Commitments: The concept of "WTO-plus" obligations, which go beyond standard WTO requirements, as seen in Kazakhstan’s commitments during accession, including export duties and zero tariffs on natural resources.
