TASHKENT, Dec. 1 (Xinhua) -- The European Commission has decided to grant Uzbekistan the status of beneficiary country to the European Union (EU)'s Generalized Scheme of Preferences (GSP) Plus ahead of schedule, Uzbekistan's Ministry of Investment and Foreign Trade said Tuesday.
The decision, which is subject to the approval of the European Parliament, will allow Uzbekistan to double the volume of goods exported to the EU without import duties, it said.
The GSP Plus scheme removes import duties on products coming into the EU market from vulnerable developing countries if they assume certain responsibilities.
The European Commission's decision was based on the fact that "Uzbekistan has implemented the provisions of 27 international conventions in the field of human rights protection, observance of labor standards, environmental protection and good governance," the ministry's statement said. Enditem
