DUSHANBE, January 24, Asia-Plus — Tajikistan is currently on the right track to the World Trade Organization (WTO), however, it ought to remove some obstacles on the way of accession to the Organization, Mr. Klid Kull, head of the Working Party on the accession of Tajikistan to WTO, remarked at a news conference hosted by the Ministry of Economic Development and Trade on January 23.
According to him, Tajikistan has to date performed many requirements to join WTO; but there are many issues that requires additional work.
Mr. Kull noted that Tajikistan has to bring its laws on standardization of goods and services, licensing, taxes as well as issues related to sanitary conditions for the production into compliance with the WTO requirements.
The Working Party head also pointed to the necessity of preferential terms for import of strategically important raw materials such as cotton and aluminum.
Deputy Economic Development and Trade Minister, Ms. Larisa Kislyakova, who also participated at the news conference, noted that special preferences had been established for cotton and aluminum, which are strategically important raw materials for Tajikistan.
According to her, sales taxes on aluminum and cotton have been determined at the rates of 3 and 10 percent respectively, while to import these raw materials to Tajikistan importer countries have to pay a 20-percent VAT. “Discrimination of importer takes place, and therefore, in accordance with the WTO requirements, we have to equalize terms for exporters and importers,” the deputy minister said.
We will recall that after the third formal meeting of the Working Party, Tajikistan took necessary measures to remove obstacles on the way of accession to WTO, which were mentioned at the meeting. Among them are issues related to reforming the commodity-and-raw-materials exchange, licensing transparency, export/import of alcohol drinks and so forth.
The third formal meeting of the Working Party was held in Geneva on October 6, 2006. The meeting in Geneva focused on the regime of foreign trade of Tajikistan.
The Working Party on the accession of Tajikistan was established by the General Council on July 18 2001. A Factual Summary of Points Raised (summarizing the discussions of the group) was circulated informally in April 2005 and revised in May 2006. Negotiations conducted in October 2006 discussed revised offers on goods and services.
