Page 28 - Azerbaijan State University of Economics

Emin T.Teymurov: Integration of the Republic of Azerbaijan towards multilateral trading system

of integration are central to the diversification of the economy and long-term economic

sustainability efforts.

Taking into account Azerbaijan’s special economic development needs and geographical

disadvantages due to landlockedness, in order to become part of international trade family,

Azerbaijan is keen to integrate into multilateral trading system under favorable conditions.

5. Azerbaijan and WTO

According to the Order of the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan on approval action

plan on bringing the national legislation into conformity with the requirements of the WTO in

connection with the accession process of the Republic of Azerbaijan to the WTO, Azerbaijan is

in the process of harmonizing its legislation with the WTO requirements. Taking into account the

necessity to diversify the economy and develop non-oil sectors, Azerbaijan has joined to the

following non-compulsory WTO sectoral initiatives: Information Technology Agreement,

Chemical Tariff Harmonization Agreement, Medical Equipment, Construction Equipment,

Scientific Equipment and others. Azerbaijan currently negotiates market access on goods and

services with the USA, EU, India, Dominican Republic, Norway, Ecuador, Brazil, Sri Lanka,

Honduras, Switzerland, Japan, Republic of Korea and Chinese Taipei. Azerbaijan has already

signed bilateral protocols with Georgia, Turkey, Oman, United Arab Emirates and Kyrgyz

Republic. Last Working Party Meeting of Azerbaijan was held in February 2014. Obtaining ―de

minimis‖ level of 10%, Aggregate Measure of Support of 2 billion USD, eliminating export

subsidies and restrictions, harmonizing excise taxes, as well as sanitary and phytosanitary

measures, technical regulations and other issues were discussed during the last plurilateral and

multilateral meetings held in 2014 in Geneva. Next Working Party Meeting of Azerbaijan and

new round of bilateral negotiations are scheduled for March 2015.

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