The International Training Center (ITC) and Tajikistan’s Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCI) continue jointly informing Tajikistan private sector on the country’s latest economic developments and activities under the World Trade Organization (WTO) membership.

Tajik business representatives are being introduced to the European Union’s Generalized System of Preferences (GSP) schemes and potential advantages the certain economic sectors can gain from this system. They are also learning about the trade-defense instruments available under the WTO legal framework, such as anti-dumping, anti- subsidies and safeguards.

According to ITC Tajikistan, the CCI member companies, exporters, and business associations are being covered by series of workshops on the EU’s GSP+ system and the trade-defense instruments under the WTO framework scheduled in Dushanbe (March 3), Qurghon Teppa (March 4), and Khujand (March 5).

The workshops are organized under the ITC’s project funded by the Government of Switzerland within its Trade Cooperation Program (TCP) in Tajikistan.

The Generalized System of Preferences (GSP) is a system of unilateral trade concessions, which reduces or eliminates tariffs on a range of exports from developing countries and least-developed countries. It aims to increase export revenue in developing countries in order to reduce poverty and promote sustainable development and good governance.

Adaptation of Tajikistan’s economy to new global realities is vital for the country’s economic sustainability and to benefit from new opportunities the country’s WTO membership provides.  The Tajik Government activities in frame of its WTO commitments and initiatives to support the private sector were in focus of series of workshops the ITC and the CCI jointly organized earlier in April 2017.

The workshop participants in Dushanbe, Khujand, and Qurghon Teppa were also introduced with the mission and responsibilities of the Coordination Committee on Trade Facilitation (CCTF), which was established in December 2016.  The CCTF as a state coordination body serves to simplify and harmonize the international trade procedures.  Bringing together key public and private stakeholders the CCTF plays a pivotal role in facilitating border reforms with a view to reduce the time and cost of trade and open up new business opportunity for Tajikistan’s private sector.

The International Trade Center played a vital role in assisting the Government of Tajikistan to enter the WTO and continues supporting the country’s efforts in implementing its WTO commitments in the post-accession period.

The ITC, through this technical assistance project, is committed to support Tajikistan’s public and private sector in strengthening their knowledge of the opportunities and challenges stemming from the WTO membership.