Deputies of the parliament have been critically discussing membership in the EAEU.

Photo: Adolat SDP

Discussions on Uzbekistan’s cooperation with the EAEU continue at the meetings of the “Adolat” SDP fraction.

The party’s website published comments by Makhfirat Khushvaqtova, a deputy of the Legislative Chamber of Oliy Majlis.

According to the deputy, membership in the EAEU can cause problems for Uzbekistan in many ways.

“As some experts have pointed out, there are also positive aspects of joining the EAEU. These can be reflected in the increase in foreign trade turnover, products, industries, in general, the competitiveness of the economy and external migration. On the other hand, membership in this organization can lead to many negative and problematic issues,” she said.

In this regard, Khushvaqtova listed the following risks:

• Due to the introduction of a single customs tariff among the EAEU members, the implementation of large investment projects that require the import of technological equipment and raw materials, which are not produced in the republic and member countries, will be difficult, in some cases, they may completely stop.

“According to the analysis of the Cabinet of Ministers, it is all about 361 projects worth $63 billion in various fields,” she said.

• The flow of contraband goods from third countries to Uzbekistan through the borders with EAEU member states will increase.

• There are currently 48 technical regulations for products and services while entering the EAEU market. In Uzbekistan, only 5 of these regulations are applied in practice. 29 regulations do not exist at all, and there are significant differences between the 14 national regulations and the technical regulations of the Union.

“These figures mean that the EAEU member countries are not a potential market for us, but for them Uzbekistan is,” she said.

• If Uzbekistan does not soften and join the EAEU on its own terms, investment activity will decline, GDP growth rates and production volumes will drop.

Concluding her remarks on the topic, the MP said that no firm decision should be made until the balance of economic and other interests in the relations between the EAEU and Uzbekistan shifts to the Uzbek side.

Recently, a number of deputies of the Legislative Chamber have been criticizing the membership in the EAEU.

Last week, the parliamentary fraction of the “Adolat” SDP approved Uzbekistan’s joining the EAEU “for now only as an observer state”.