According to the president’s press service, the sides discussed further expanding practical cooperation in customs administration, strengthening the capacity of customs authorities and combating customs violations. They noted that, with the organization’s support, Uzbekistan has joined several international conventions on trade facilitation, introduced modern customs control mechanisms, and adopted a Customs Service Development Strategy through 2030.
‘As a result of large-scale reforms in Uzbekistan’s customs sector, 94 percent of exports and 87 percent of imports are now processed under simplified procedures. Declaration processing time has been reduced to 20 minutes’, the message reads.
Authorities are actively deploying digital tools to improve cooperation between customs and businesses, reduce bureaucratic hurdles, and minimize corruption vulnerabilities.
The talks centered on the continued digitalization and alignment of customs rules, upgrades to the legal and regulatory environment, and staff capacity-building. The parties stressed that these steps are critical to Uzbekistan’s WTO accession drive.
Coming out of the meeting, the two sides agreed to develop and adopt a joint roadmap that lays out measures for closer cooperation and improved customs administration.
