Uzbekistan and Serbia are moving toward developing a free trade agreement to increase bilateral trade and deepen economic cooperation, according to statements from both governments.
The initiative emerged following talks between Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev and Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić in Belgrade. The two leaders emphasized the need to increase mutual trade and create conditions for broader access to each other's markets.
Officials said the free trade agreement would be aimed at expanding supplies of in-demand goods between the nations. The leaders highlighted the importance of developing and adopting such an agreement as part of efforts to expand trade between Uzbekistan and Serbia.
Beyond the trade agreement itself, the two countries agreed to pursue additional measures to strengthen economic ties. These include establishing cooperation in the field of standardization and organizing reciprocal trade exhibitions to showcase goods and services from each nation.
The first meeting of the Uzbekistan-Serbia intergovernmental commission on economic cooperation took place in Belgrade on September 7. During this session, the sides discussed free trade, industrial cooperation, and the establishment of a modern nursery facility in Uzbekistan. The commission brought together representatives from both nations' investment, industry, and trade ministries, as well as agriculture ministries.
The negotiations represent a formal step toward formalizing trade relations between the Central Asian nation and the Balkan country. Both governments have indicated they are preparing for substantive discussions on the free trade agreement framework.