Working Group Approves Tajikstan WTO Membership Agreement
The World Trade Organization working group on Tajikstan’s accession approved the country’s membership package Oct. 26, the WTO said. The WTO General Council will now vote on the package at a meeting Dec. 11-12. Upon adoption, Tajikstan’s must ratify the agreements, after which it will become a WTO member following a 30-day period. Tajikstan applied for WTO membership in 2001.
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As part of the accession accord, Tajikistan has agreed to undertake a series of commitments to further open its trade regime and accelerate its integration in the world economy, the WTO said. From the date of accession, Tajikistan has committed to fully apply all WTO provisions without any recourse to transitional periods. It committed to join the Information Technology Agreement upon accession and will submit an application for membership of the Government Procurement Agreement within one year of its accession, the WTO said.
Tajikistan has agreed to accept “bound” rates, i.e. maximum ceiling levels, for all its import tariffs. Tariffs will be “ordinary customs duties” only, within committed levels, with no additional duties and charges. The average of Tajikistan’s “bound” tariffs, for all products, is 8.0%. For agricultural products, this average is 10.4% while for non-agricultural products the average is 7.6%, said the WTO.