Uzbekistan joins agreement to simplify cross-border trade in the Asia-Pacific region

On November 5, 2023, Uzbekistan officially became a member of the Agreement on Simplifying Cross-Border Paperless Trade in the Asia-Pacific Region, as announced by the Ministry of Investments, Industry, and Trade.

The agreement, adopted by the UN Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP) in 2016, is designed to foster the mutual recognition of electronic trade documents and improve the operational compatibility of national and subregional systems.

The agreement will come into effect for Uzbekistan on February 3, 2025. As of now, 14 countries have officially joined the agreement.

The primary goal of the agreement is to promote the development of paperless cross-border trade by facilitating the mutual recognition and exchange of electronic trade documents and information. It also aims to enhance the operational compatibility of national and subregional systems.

Uzbekistan’s accession to this agreement is expected to integrate the country into the international system of paperless trade, making export-import operations with friendly countries in the Asia-Pacific region faster and more efficient.

The Ministry of Investments, Industry, and Trade has been designated as the responsible body for overseeing the implementation of this agreement in Uzbekistan.