1Council Decision (EU) 2026/719 of 17 March 2026 establishing the position to be taken on behalf of the European Union at the 14th meeting of the Ministerial Conference of the World Trade Organization on the accession of the Republic of Uzbekistan to the WTO

Council Decision (EU) 2026/719 of 17 March 2026 establishing the position to be taken on behalf of the European Union at the 14th meeting of the Ministerial Conference of the World Trade Organization on the accession of the Republic of Uzbekistan to the WTO THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION, Having regard to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, and in particular Article 207(4), first subparagraph, in conjunction with Article 218(9), thereof, Having regard to the proposal from the European Commission, Whereas: (1) The Marrakesh Agreement Establishing the World Trade Organization (the WTO Agreement) was concluded by the Union by means of Council Decision 94/800/EC Council Decision 94/800/EC of 22 December 1994 concerning the conclusion on behalf of the European Community, as regards matters within its competence, of the agreements reached in the Uruguay Round multilateral negotiations (1986-1994) (OJ L 336, 23.12.1994, p. 1, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/dec/1994/800/oj). and entered into force on 1 January 1995. (2) Pursuant to Articles IV:1 and IX:1 of the WTO Agreement, the Ministerial Conference of the World Trade Organization (WTO) has the authority to adopt decisions by consensus. (3) It is possible that the WTO Ministerial Conference, during its 14th meeting from 26 to 29 March 2026, will adopt a decision on the accession of the Republic of Uzbekistan (Uzbekistan) to the WTO. (4) It is appropriate to establish the position to be taken on the Union’s behalf at the 14th meeting of the WTO Ministerial Conference, as the envisaged decisions are binding on the Union. (5) Negotiations on the accession of Uzbekistan to the WTO started in 1995. The Working Party on the accession of Uzbekistan was established on 21 December 1994. The 11th Working Party meeting took place from 5 to 6 November 2025. In October 2025, the Commission, on behalf of the Union, finalised bilateral negotiations on a comprehensive series of market opening commitments on the part of Uzbekistan. Accession to the WTO is expected to make a positive and lasting contribution to the process of economic reform and sustainable development in Uzbekistan. A possible accession also underscores the support for a rules-based multilateral trading system with the WTO at its core. The Union should therefore support the accession of Uzbekistan to the WTO, HAS ADOPTED THIS DECISION:

Article 1

The position to be taken on the Union’s behalf at the 14th meeting of the Ministerial Conference of the World Trade Organization (WTO) or at any subsequent meeting of the WTO General Council shall be to join the consensus reached among WTO Members with a view to adopting a decision regarding the accession of Uzbekistan to the WTO which supports the accession of Uzbekistan to the WTO.

Article 2

This Decision shall enter into force on the date of its adoption. Done at Brussels, 17 March 2026. For the Council The President M. Raouna