In preparation for full accession to the World Trade Organization (WTO) by the end of 2026, Uzbekistan is undertaking a large-scale reform of its national trade and technical regulations. To date, the republic has concluded market access negotiations with key partners (including the EU, the USA, and China) and has focused on bringing domestic legislation in line with global trade rules, significantly simplifying the access of imported goods to the domestic market.

Adaptation of the Regulatory Framework

Over the past year, 68 normative legal acts in Uzbekistan were brought into compliance with WTO requirements and international norms. Legislative changes affected a number of sectors, including intellectual property protection, where procedures for registering objects were simplified and liability for violations was strengthened.

Reform of the Certification System and Import Admission

The main vector of reforms in 2025–2026 was the unprecedented reduction of technical trade barriers. The government approved the abandonment of the outdated system of total pre-market control. As part of the large-scale deregulation of the market:

• The requirement for mandatory certification for 747 commodity items was abolished, as a result of which the total list of products subject to certification was reduced by 27%.
• 14 technical regulations on food products, which previously served as a barrier to import operations, were canceled.

Based on the new draft law "On Market Control," Uzbekistan is transitioning from state control of goods to mechanisms of post-market control. This means that the object of state control is no longer the importer (prior to the importation of goods), but the product itself that is already in circulation on the market.

How Are Imported Goods Certified Now?

Instead of mandatory certification (which previously blocked market access until a permit was obtained), a declaration of conformity mechanism is being introduced. The importer or distributor independently assumes responsibility for product safety by completing an electronic declaration through the Technical Regulation Information System (TRIS). This approach removes administrative barriers at the border and significantly accelerates supply chains (FMCG).

New Food Control Standards

As of August 1, 2025, the mandatory compliance with technical regulations and standards (including outdated GOSTs) for food products was officially abolished in Uzbekistan. Control over food safety has been completely transferred to a single specialized body — the Committee for Sanitary and Epidemiological Welfare and Public Health of the Republic of Uzbekistan.

Instead of technical regulations, sanitary rules, norms, and hygienic standards (SanPiN), adapted to international requirements, in particular the Codex Alimentarius standards, became the basic document for the market.

Additionally, to reduce the regulatory burden on B2B importers during the transition period (until the end of 2025), the Government temporarily suspended a number of mandatory procedures. These include obtaining a sanitary and epidemiological conclusion for the certification of imported food products based on laboratory tests, as well as the approval of technical documentation by the Ministry of Health.

Uzbekistan's accession to the WTO in 2026 and the cancellation of 27% of mandatory certificates lower the barriers to market entry. For current players in the FMCG sector, this means increased competition: new brands will enter the market, and their supply chains will be accelerated thanks to the transition to declaration according to Codex Alimentarius standards.