Philippines, Uzbekistan Sign Protocol of Agreement on WTO Accession
GENEVA 10 December 2024 – A significant milestone in the bilateral relations between the Philippines and Uzbekistan was achieved on 01 December 2024. The two countries signed the Protocol of Agreement on the Accession of the Republic of Uzbekistan to the World Trade Organization (WTO). The signing ceremony took place at Mabini Hall, marking the successful conclusion of bilateral market access negotiations on trade in goods and services between the two economies.
The Philippine delegation was led by Ambassador Manuel A.J. Teehankee, Philippine Permanent Representative to the WTO, while Uzbekistan’s delegation was led by Mr. Azizbek Urunov, Special Representative of the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan on WTO Issues and Chief Negotiator, along with Ambassador Eldiyor Toshmatov, Permanent Representative of Uzbekistan to the United Nations Office and other International Organizations in Geneva. The ceremony was also graced by WTO Deputy Director-General Xiangchen Zhang, who witnessed the signing as a testament to the importance of Uzbekistan’s progress in its WTO accession process.
Ambassador Teehankee highlighted that the event signifies the Philippines’ commitment to advancing global trade inclusivity, stating “This signing ceremony underscores the spirit of international cooperation and the Philippines’ support for Uzbekistan’s integration into the global economy. It also underscores the mutual potential for economic collaboration and growth between our two countries. We look forward to strengthening our partnership in trade and investment as Uzbekistan takes this historic step towards becoming a full-fledged WTO member.”
Uzbekistan’s accession process has been ongoing since the establishment of its Working Party in December 1994. The conclusion of bilateral negotiations with the Philippines brings Uzbekistan closer to the adoption of its accession package, with the 10th Formal Meeting of its Working Party scheduled for 05 to 06 December 2024.
In the WTO accession process, a Working Party is established to examine the application in accordance with Article XII of the Marrakesh Agreement Establishing the World Trade Organization (WTO Agreement) and to submit recommendations to the WTO’s General Council or Ministerial Conference. Following the establishment of a Working Party, the bilateral, plurilateral and multilateral negotiations subsequently take place simultaneously.
Negotiations on tariff concessions and services are conducted bilaterally on the basis of offers and requests between the acceding government and the interested Member. The successful conclusion of these negotiations leads to the drafting of an accession package (“terms of accession/entry”), which needs to be adopted by the accession Working Party and approved by the General Council or Ministerial Conference. Subsequently, the acceding government must accept the “terms of entry” — either through signature or ratification — and becomes a full-fledged WTO member 30 days after it notifies the acceptance of its Protocol of Accession to the WTO Director-General.
The Philippines is among the 33 WTO members actively engaged in these bilateral negotiations with Uzbekistan. By completing this step, both economies have laid the foundation for deeper economic ties and demonstrated their shared commitment to the rules-based multilateral trading system.
For more information, visit https://wtopm.dfa.gov.ph/.