The European Union reportedly can allow duty-free delivery of Tajik goods to European market in exchange for observance of human rights, protection of labor and environment and efficient management in Tajikistan.
Issues related to a possible accession of Tajikistan to the European Union (EU)'s Special Incentive Arrangement for Sustainable Development (GSP+) were discussed at a meeting of Farrukh Hamralizoda, the Head of the State Committee on Investments and State-owned Property Management (GosKomInvest), with Ambassador Marilyn Josefson, the Head of the European Union Delegation to Tajikistan, according to the GosKomInvest press center.
It was noted that a successful application for GSP+ would translate into a zero tariff for Tajik exports to the EU for more than 6400 goods.
Recall, the European Union on February 11-13 deployed a joint technical mission from the European Commission Directorate General for Trade and the European External Action Service in Brussels to Dushanbe.
The purpose of the mission was to engage in initial discussions with key stakeholders of the Tajik government on the process and specific benefits for Tajikistan with regard to GSP+. Agriculture, climate change, water and energy as well as sustainable development, export promotion, tax tariffs and rule of law constituted important areas of discussion.
The GSP+ is an arrangement under the EU's Generalized Scheme of Preferences (‘GSP’) for lower-middle income countries. It offers additional trade incentives to partner countries in support of the effective implementation of core international conventions on environmental protection, good governance, labor and human rights.
In 2018, Tajikistan reportedly had trade relations with 36 European countries and Tajikistan’s trade turnover with them last year amounted to some 320 million U.S. dollars, which was nearly one-third fewer than in 2017. This consisted of Tajikistan’s exports to European countries estimate at 63 million U.S. dollars and Tajikistan’s imports from European countries worth some 257 million U.S. dollars.
Last year, the major trading partner of Tajikistan in Europe was Germany (the two-way trade between Tajikistan and Germany last year valued at 97.7 million U.S. dollars.
