In April 2023, EastFruit wrote that the European Union intends to extend Uzbekistan’s status as a beneficiary of the GSP+ system for a new cycle. At negotiations with representatives of the government of Uzbekistan, the EU delegation at that time noted that Uzbekistan had ratified the necessary conventions and had every reason to extend the terms of the beneficiary status of the GSP+ system for a new cycle.
Seven months later, on November 22, 2023, the European Union decided to extend the General System of Preferences Plus (“GSP+”) for beneficiary countries, including Uzbekistan, for the next four years, until December 31, 2027, the information service reports. Ministry of Investment, Industry and Trade.
The extension was announced on November 23, 2023 at a press conference held jointly by the Ministry of Investment, Industry and Trade and the Delegation of the European Union to Uzbekistan on the topic “Expanding the capabilities of the European Union General System of Preferences Plus (“GSP+”) for Uzbekistan.”
Starting from April 10, 2021, Uzbekistan joined the European Union’s Special System of Preferences for Sustainable Development and Good Governance (GSP+), where Uzbekistan was accepted as a beneficiary country under the Generalized Scheme of Preferences (GSP), EastFruit recalls. This allows Uzbek exporters to supply 6,200 types of goods to the EU countries duty-free. The types of products to which this system of benefits applies also include fruits, vegetables, and nuts.
It is also worth noting that in December 2022, the UK included Uzbekistan in the new developing countries trade scheme (DCTS), according to which the country received the right to duty-free supply of an additional group of goods. The new DCTS scheme replaces the expanded Generalized System of Preferences scheme (GSP Enhanced Framework – GSP EF), of which Uzbekistan became a beneficiary at the end of October 2021.
Starting in 2023, as a result of the transition to the new DCTS trade scheme, the number of types of goods that Uzbek producers will be able to export duty-free to the UK has increased to 7,956.
For more information: east-fruit.com