The Government of Tajikistan is currently considering the issue of setting the Coordinating Committee on Facilitation of Trade Procedures, according to the Ministry of Economic Development and Trade (MoEDT).
An official source at a MoEDT says the issue of participation of the private sector in the work of the mentioned committee will be discussed in Dushanbe tomorrow.
According to him, signing of an agreement on facilitation of procedures of trade is one of demands of the World Trade Organization (WTO).
The role of this agreement is in ensuring transparency, facilitating customs formalities, fasting cargo deliveries; and providing new opportunities for business.
Measures for facilitation of procedures of trade are capable to help with realization of problems of development and promotion of reduction of expenses on trade operations, increase of competitiveness of a company, more effective operations of export, creation of new workplaces and opening of new opportunities for obtaining the income, economic growth, and decrease in poverty level.
The Coordinating Committee on Trade Facilitation is expected to be interagency commission, whose activity is directed to coordination of activities for facilitation, harmonization and standardization of the foreign trade procedures and procedures of the foreign trade transportations, and also coordination of interests of the state and business in this sphere.
Functions of the Coordinating Committee on Trade Facilitation include analysis of implementation of the agreement, assistance in coordinating and implementation of this agreement, and to bring to the government questions on trade.
Recall that Tajikistan applied for WTO membership on May 29, 2001 and the Working Party on the accession of Tajikistan was established by the General Council on July 18, 2001. Tajikistan’s negotiations to join the WTO lasted for 11 years and Tajikistan concluded its membership negotiations on October 26 2012, when the Working Party adopted the accession package. As a result of the negotiations, Tajikistan has agreed to undertake a series of important commitments to further liberalize its trade regime and accelerate its integration in the world economy. The WTO paved the way for Tajikistan’s membership by approving its accession package on December 10, 2012. At a ceremony in Geneva on December 10, WTO Director-General Pascal Lamy and Tajik President Emomali Rahmon signed the protocol on Tajikistan’s admission to the international organization.
The program of adaptation of Tajikistan’s economy to the post WTO accession conditions was adopted on October 31, 2014. The main objective of this program is in creating favorable conditions for development of small and medium-size enterprises in the country, attraction of foreign investments, and expansion of bilateral and multilateral cooperation with the WTO member nations.
