WTO starts accession negotiations with Turkmenistan

Article summary

Member states of the World Trade Organization (WTO) have agreed to initiate negotiations on the accession of Turkmenistan at the meeting of the General Council on 23 February 2022. The last of the former Soviet republics seeking accession formally applied for WTO membership on 24 November 2021. Turkmenistan’s application was set to be considered at the 12th Ministerial Conference, which was indefinitely suspended on 26 November 2021, and rescheduled for June 2022 on the same 23 February 2022. Turkmenistan obtained WTO observer status in July 2020. The General Council has agreed to establish a Working Party to oversee negotiations.