TASHKENT, Uzbekistan, April 21. Uzbekistan’s
export volumes have increased by 2.2 times, with foreign trade
turnover reaching 57 percent of the country’s GDP, said President
Shavkat Mirziyoyev during a recent videoconference, Trend reports via the
Press Secretary of the President of Uzbekistan.
The country has really turned the tide in the Economic
Complexity Index, jumping a whopping 25 points over the last five
years, moving up from the 105th to the 80th spot on the ladder.
“This is a very large figure, which shows how much our economy
depends on external markets,” the president noted.
However, the meeting also addressed the ongoing challenges faced
by entrepreneurs due to outdated and excessive certification
requirements, which are hindering business development and
increasing costs. The president specifically criticized the lack of
efficient sanitary-epidemiological certification processes,
pointing out that many products, including children’s food, face
delays due to the absence of necessary standards. He also
criticized the unnecessary multiple testing of identical products
based solely on different packaging.
In response, the president instructed relevant authorities to
review and streamline certification and standardization procedures.
A comprehensive overhaul will reduce redundant steps and align
Uzbekistan’s standards with international regulations, including
those set by the Codex Alimentarius. Additionally, the government
plans to significantly reduce the list of goods requiring mandatory
certification and introduce a declaration of conformity mechanism
to simplify market access.
The president also highlighted the importance of developing a
new “Market Supervision” law to enhance market oversight and foster
competition in the industry. This will involve transferring certain
certification and testing responsibilities to the private sector,
with the aim of improving service quality while lowering costs for
businesses.
The reconfiguration of Uzbekistan’s certification and
standardization framework is anticipated to bolster the nation’s
economic expansion and enhance its competitive positioning within
the international arena.