Kyrgyzstan was the first among the former Soviet countries to successfully complete the negotiation process with the WTO and became its official member in December 1998.
Today, we can already talk about a number of positive factors resulting from the Kyrgyz Republic's membership in the WTO:
• First of all, Kyrgyzstan secured the most-favored-nation status for export operations and national treatment in all WTO member countries;
• The legislation of the Kyrgyz Republic has been aligned with international standards. It is important to note that the laws adopted for the purpose of joining the WTO also contributed to the establishment of trade and investment regimes in the Kyrgyz Republic that correspond to the country's economic reform program;
• Reference services have been created for relations with the WTO regarding the development, adoption, and application of technical regulations, standards, and sanitary and phytosanitary measures under the state inspection for standardization and metrology and at the Ministry of Foreign Trade and Industry of the Kyrgyz Republic;
• In June 2000, the United States repealed the Jackson-Vanik amendment to Section IV of the U.S. Trade and Development Act concerning Kyrgyzstan, which had been in effect since the days of the former Soviet Union. This amendment provided for the denial of most-favored-nation treatment, the provision of credit programs, credit and investment guarantees, and the conclusion of any commercial agreements for countries with non-market economies where the principles of freedom of emigration are not observed. The repeal of the Jackson-Vanik amendment concerning Kyrgyzstan ensured the establishment of normal unconditional trade relations and obligations of the republic with its WTO partners;
• The sooner the country gains experience working with an organization like the WTO, the better it will be for economic and structural reforms within the country, as newly adopted regulations are developed in accordance with international requirements.
