Foreword Abbreviations RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE SUBREGIONAL WORKSHOP ON ACCESSION TO WTO – ECONOMIES IN TRANSITION ISSUES IN ACCESSION TO WTO FOR ECONOMIES IN TRANSITION IN CAUCASUS AND CENTRAL ASIA: AN OVERVIEW Introduction Accession to the WTO: the process Preparations for application Formal application (notification) Working Party formation Preparation of the Foreign Trade Regime Memorandum by the acceding country Questions and comments from existing members Negotiations Draft Protocol and Vote Trade and trade policy in the economies in transition: an overview Caucasus Central Asia Experiences with the WTO accession process: obstacles and problems to effective transition Market economy status WTO-related organizational and bureaucratic problems Lack of national institutional capacity, skills and sustained economic reforms Excessive and stringent demands from WTO members Conflicting commitments under RTAs and other international agreements Conclusions and recommendations COUNTRY PAPERS ON ACCESSION TO THE WTO Armenia Introduction Review of past and current trade and trade policies Accession to the WTO: an assessment of progress Conclusions and recommendations Azerbaijan Introduction Review of past and present trade policies Accession of Azerbaijan to the WTO: an assessment of progress Conclusions and recommendations Georgia Introduction Georgia’s accession to the WTO: an evaluation and lessons learnt Overview of trade policy before and after WTO accession Conclusions and recommendations Kazakhstan Introduction Analysis of trade and trade policy during 1992-2000 Process of accession of Kazakhstan to the WTO Problems faced by Kazakhstan for effective accession Conclusions and recommendations Kyrgyzstan Introduction Kyrgyzstan’s accession to the WTO: evaluation and obtained experience Overview of trade policy before and after WTO accession Conclusions and recommendations Tajikistan Introduction Tajikistan: an economic overview Trade and investment policies Preparations for accession to WTO Conclusions Turkmenistan Introduction Status of economic reforms The external sector Trade regulations, customs and standards Tariff rates, taxes and surcharges Obstacles to WTO membership Recommendations Uzbekistan Introduction Review of trade policy implemented in Uzbekistan over the last 10 years Foreign trade regime of Uzbekistan Policy and legislation of Uzbekistan in the area of protection of intellectual property rights Uzbekistan’s accession to the WTO: an assessment of progress Benefits for Uzbekistan from WTO membership Conclusions and recommendations

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