Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) — The 145th and 146th sessions of the Customs Cooperation Council of the World Customs Organization (WCO) are taking place at the organization’s headquarters in Brussels, with representatives from 186 member states in attendance.

The sessions opened with speeches by WCO Secretary General Ian Saunders and World Trade Organization Director-General Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, who highlighted current global challenges and priorities in international trade and customs administration.

The delegation of Uzbekistan is actively participating in the plenary sessions and regional consultations, focusing on key initiatives related to the digital transformation of customs procedures. The current agenda places particular emphasis on enhancing human resources, improving tariff regulations, simplifying customs procedures, and strengthening compliance mechanisms.

Uzbek representatives took part in panel discussions covering important topics such as customs valuation of goods, development of the SAFE Framework of Standards to Secure and Facilitate Global Trade, e-commerce, border security, promotion of gender equality, and upholding ethical standards in customs operations.

As part of the visit, Chairman of the Uzbek Customs Committee Akmal Mavlonov held a number of bilateral meetings with heads of delegations from other countries. During discussions with Turkish Customs Director Sezai Uçarmak, the two sides reviewed preparations for the upcoming session of the Joint Customs Council, scheduled to be held in Uzbekistan in October.

Cooperation with the People’s Republic of China was also in focus. In a meeting with the head of the Chinese delegation, Wang Lingjun, the parties discussed the exchange of best practices regarding goods processing within customs territories.

In addition, talks were held with representatives of the WCO Harmonized System Committee concerning Uzbekistan’s use of the Harmonized System for foreign economic activity. It was noted that Uzbekistan has, for the first time, implemented the Harmonized System in the state language, following the Presidential Decree No. PP-181 dated 14 May 2025. International experts commended this move, recognizing its significance in promoting national identity within the sphere of global trade.