Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan to remove trade barriers on selected goods starting August 10

Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan are set to eliminate tariff and non-tariff barriers on a wide range of goods, including agricultural products, textiles, and construction materials, effective August 10. This decision, announced at the Uzbek-Kazakh Business Forum in Tashkent, aims to significantly boost bilateral trade, which currently stands at nearly $5 billion and has a target of $10 billion.

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The business community has been talking about this for a long time, it was a real issue. A week ago, it was announced that all existing tariff and non-tariff barriers would be removed starting 10 August. We are confident this will give a significant boost to entrepreneurs in both countries.

The move addresses long-standing concerns from the business community. Davron Vakhabov, chairman of Uzbekistan’s Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCI), stated that the removal of these barriers was a "real issue" and expressed confidence that it would provide a substantial boost to entrepreneurs in both nations. Kazakhstan's ambassador to Uzbekistan, Eraly Tugjanov, described the swiftness of the decision as unprecedented, attributing it to strong ties between the two countries' leaders.

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The measures covered around 20 product categories. He described the speed of the decision as unprecedented and attributed it to the close ties between the leaders of the two countries.

While the specific restrictions previously in place were not detailed, the agreement covers 19 categories of goods. Kazakhstan's National Chamber of Entrepreneurs, Atameken, emphasized the need for a permanent process to eliminate trade obstacles, noting that logistics and border issues still require attention. A joint working group to address these barriers was first established in January 2024.

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Efforts to eliminate obstacles to bilateral trade should become a permanent process.