Uzbekistan and Turkey sign an agreement on a High-Level Council on Business Support

Talks in Ankara and an agreement on a business council

President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev on 29 October is in Ankara on a working visit at the invitation of the Turkish leader and is taking part in the summit of the Organization of Turkic States, held under the motto 'The Turkic Century: Unity in Language, Thought and Deed.' On the eve of the summit, he held talks with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan devoted to strengthening comprehensive strategic partnership, including in the trade and economic sphere. Following the meetings, the sides signed an agreement on establishing the High-Level Council on Business Support — this was reported by the press service of the head of Uzbekistan.

What the presidents discussed

During the talks, the sides noted the intensification of contacts, growth in mutual trade turnover and investment, an increase in the number of joint companies and the expansion of flights. Priorities included preparations for the upcoming meeting of the Intergovernmental Commission and expanding the portfolio of promising projects; particular emphasis was placed on the importance of establishing the business support council itself.

A package of bilateral documents

In addition to the agreement on the council, a package of bilateral documentswas signed. It includes: a protocol expanding the list of goods under the preferential trade agreement; an intergovernmental agreement on social security and an administrative agreement on its implementation; and an additional protocol amending the protocol on the advance exchange of information on the movement of goods and vehicles across state borders dated 29 March 2022.

What this changes in practice

According to the press service's wording, the signed documents are aimed at expanding trade and economic cooperation, creating favourable conditions for the business community and the effective protection of the social rights of citizens of the two countries. In practical terms, this means three changes compared with the previous situation: the list of goods covered by preferential trade will be expanded; social security will receive a treaty basis at the intergovernmental level, which affects citizens working or living in both countries; and the procedure for the advance exchange of information on the movement of goods and transport across the border will be updated through amendments to the 2022 document. Details of the composition of the goods list and the content of the social security agreement have not yet been disclosed in the publications.