The European Commission cooperates with Tajikistan at the centralized, regional, subregional and national levels with projects managed from Brussels and Dushanbe.
The European Union (EU) may allow a duty-free supply of Tajik products to the European market in exchange for labor protection, the environment, and efficient management.
Head of the State Committee on Investments and State Property Management Farrukh Hamralizoda and EU Ambassador to the Republic Marilyn Josephson discussed the issues related to the accession of Tajikistan to the General System of Preferences (GSP +), the press service of the State Committee reports.
During the meeting, it was noted that the entry of Tajikistan into this system would allow exporting more than 6,400 domestic goods to European markets under the system of customs duties with a zero rate.
According to the State Committee, this process improves the supply of goods from Tajikistan to European consumers, thereby increasing the competitiveness of domestic goods in this region.
The press service of the State Committee informed that to get the preferences of this system, the republic must implement 27 conventions and protocols ratified by Tajikistan in the field of environmental protection, labor protection and effective management.
Hamralizoda emphasized that joining the General System of Preferences was a priority for Tajikistan.
As he noted, this increased the competitiveness of domestic goods exported to the EU and created a favorable basis for the competitiveness of domestic goods on the European market.
“Reducing import customs duties for exporters of the country to zero for the EU markets contributes to an increase in foreign trade turnover and creates a real basis for the creation of new jobs”, the head of the State Committee said.
The Chairman asks the EU to support Tajikistan in its accession to the General System of Preferences.
In 2018, Tajikistan traded with 36 European countries, most of which were EU members: the total trade turnover of Tajikistan with European countries amounted to about $320 million, down by almost a third YoY.
Tajik products worth $63 million were exported to Europe in 2018. Germany was the main trading partner of Tajikistan on the European continent, with bilateral trade of $97.7 million.
The EU began to cooperate with Tajikistan in the early 1990s after the republic proclaimed independence from the Soviet Union.
In 1992, the Technical Aid to the Commonwealth of Independent States (TACIS) program office was opened in Dushanbe.
In 2001, the first annual meeting of the EU-Tajikistan Cooperation Committee was held in Brussels. In 2004, EU Commissioner for Foreign Policy visited Dushanbe, and President Rahmon signed in Luxembourg the Partnership and Cooperation Agreement (PCA), which entered into force after ratification in 2010.
In 2016, the European Commission reaffirmed its commitment by 2020 to provide Tajikistan with 251 million euros for development. (AzerNews/Business World Magazine)