Internal trade, labeling and «gray certificates» - key trade issues were discussed at the Public Council on Trade and Integration of the MTI of the Republic of Kazakhstan
On April 24, a regular meeting of the Public Council on Trade and Integration under the Ministry of Trade and Integration of the Republic of Kazakhstan was held under the chairmanship of Ruslan Shaekin.
During the meeting, the issue of amendments to the rules of domestic trade on the introduction of the need to load retail areas of retail chains and markets for domestic goods (for food products - at least 50%, for non-food products - at least 10%) was discussed. After weighing all the pros and cons, on one side of which is the support of domestic producers, on the other – large companies that supply finished products to the territory of Kazakhstan, it was decided not to introduce additional percentages of Kazakhstani content on the shelves.
«The decision to increase the share of local content will be made by retail chains on a voluntary basis, based on its quality, competitiveness and other market advantages– Arman Shakkaliyev summed up. – and of course, such initiatives should be supported by the state.
Also during the meeting, the President of the Union of Grain Processors of Kazakhstan, Alikhan Talgatbek, proposed the creation of a single window for the development of exports of processed products with the participation of representatives of phytosanitary, veterinary authorities, «KazakhExport» Export Insurance Company» JSC, and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The Vice Minister supported this proposal, emphasizing the urgency of creating a single window. In addition, Arman Shakkaliyev spoke about the draft Concept for the development of Trade Policy, which will reflect the process of building work with government agencies, quasi-public sector, associations, etc.
The issue of labeling and traceability of goods was heard on the agenda, where the president of the institute «Bastama» Temirlanzhakipbekov spoke. During the discussion, Temirlan Zhakipbekov voiced the issue of considering the need for labeling for goods, including those purchased wholesale and retail, and the question of the possibility of choosing a labeling operator to create a competitive environment was also raised. It should be noted that today the only labeling operator has been identified in the person of Kazakhtelecom.
«Labeling is considered as a tool for product traceability. Traceability solves many issues of safety, origin, and quality of goods», – Arman Shakkaliyev noted. The Ministry of Trade, as the coordinating state agency, taking into account the discussion held, together with the labeling operator, will prepare a vision of how this system should be improved.
The meeting also considered the issue of control measures to solve the problems of «gray certificates». Thus, the Committee of Technical Regulation and Metrology of the MTI RK, together with the Kazakhstan Association of Participants in the System of Technical Regulation and Metrology, has developed and submitted to the Council an action plan to combat the circulation of conformity assessment documents issued with violations of mandatory procedures.
«The plan provides for step–by–step work, including on combating existing certificates, interaction of accreditation bodies, control bodies, there is a special procedure of the EEC under which countries will cancel such documents – Chairman of the Technical Regulation and Metrology Committee Kuanysh Yelikbayev said. In addition, the plan includes such systemic measures as the introduction of digitalization in Kyrgyzstan, that is, offering them our digital solutions and offering them on changes in domestic legislation.
At the end of the meeting, the discussion of the draft Concept for the development of Trade Policy until 2030 began, the discussion of which will continue at the next meeting of the Council in the second decade of May this year.