Liberalization of trade regime - one of key terms for Azerbaijan to enter WTO

Organized by the Azerbaijani Fund for Facilitating Export and Investments (AZPROMO) with support from EU’s TACIS program and Geneva organization of ITC (International Trade Center), a daughter information company of the WTO and initiative of the key objective of the event is to lunch public discussions to discuss positive and negative factors of the process of Azerbaijan’s entrance to the World Trade Organization (WTO), Emil Majidov, the head of the Fund, said in his opening remarks.

Addressing the gathering Mahmud Mammad-Guliyev, the Azerbaijani Deputy Foreign Minister, also the head of the negotiation process on WTO, noted that such meetings should benefit the entire society, especially, businessmen. It will enable the businessmen to get prepared for conduct of business on the WTO standards. As the private sector is involved in the production process, one of the key terms discussed at the talks with WTO members is the liberalization of trade regime and service market.

In his turn Mikayil Jabbarov, the Deputy Minister for Economic Development, informed representatives of the private sector and the international financial institutes on the measures taken in the country within the framework of this process. Azerbaijan ahs held an observer status in the WTO since 1997. Over the last period 4 meetings have been under the negotiation process. It is notable that the talks have been concluded with two of them – Moldova and Georgia and an agreement on signing of a protocol has been achieved. The most is to intensify the bilateral talks. At present the talks on goods and services are the most responsible period for Azerbaijan.

Volfrang Schporer, Coordinator of the Europe House in Azerbaijan, stated on the EU's readiness for organization of similar events with in the framework of entrance to the WTO. Technical assistance is provided by AZPROMO.

"It is not an only event and I'd like view the Azerbaijan's entrance in larger understanding – improvement of the investment climate and integration," Schporer underlined.

Moreover, there is also a project with Azerbaijan, which envisages work under these events. New frames of cooperation between Azerbaijan and the European Union have been defined under the European Neighboring Project, which states agreement upon Azerbaijan’s proximity with the European countries.

Karlos Emilio Rosasin, a consultant of the Manifold Trading System Organization made an appeal to the gathering. They also considered concrete experience of Czech Republic, member of the WTO, presented by the head of the Department for Business opportunities at the Czech Trade, Ian Falatov.

At the end of the visit it is planned to adopt business plan with the participation of the private sector in the process of entrance to the WTO, Trend reports.