The agreement was signed on August 23 and is intended to protect the pension rights of citizens who have carried out employment activities in both Uzbekistan and Azerbaijan, Uzbekistan’s Pension Fund said.
Under the agreement, periods of employment accumulated in the two countries may be combined when determining whether a person qualifies for a pension. If a citizen’s work record in one country is insufficient to establish pension eligibility, the relevant employment period accumulated in the other country may also be taken into account.
Each country will calculate and pay the pension corresponding to the periods of employment accumulated within its own territory.
The agreement also guarantees that an already awarded pension will not be reduced, suspended or cancelled solely because the recipient lives in the territory of the other party or in a third country. At the citizen’s request, the pension may be paid in the country where it was awarded or transferred to the territory of the other country.
Citizens will be able to submit applications related to the award, recalculation, payment or review of pensions to the relevant authority in their country of residence. In cases envisaged by the agreement, such an application will also be considered as having been submitted to the relevant institution of the other country, while the necessary information and documents will be exchanged directly between the competent authorities.
The pension authorities of Uzbekistan and Azerbaijan will also establish direct cooperation, exchanging information and providing practical assistance on matters related to the award and payment of pensions.
According to the Pension Fund, the agreement will enter into force after the completion of the required procedures. The organizational and technical arrangements for its implementation will be set out in a separate administrative agreement between the two sides.
