BAKU, Azerbaijan, June 8. Uzbekistan held talks
on expanding cooperation, improving standards compliance, and
boosting the competitiveness of Uzbek products in foreign markets
at the 38th General Assembly of IQNet, Trend reports via the Uzbek Agency for
Technical Regulation.


Representatives of Uzbekistan’s Technical Regulation Agency took
part in the event, engaging in a series of meetings and
negotiations aimed at advancing the country’s quality
infrastructure and broadening international partnerships.


The participation aligns with Uzbekistan’s broader efforts to
strengthen its national quality and standards framework. Under a
presidential decree issued in February 2026, the country aims to
improve its position in the Quality Infrastructure for Sustainable
Development (QI4SD) Index by at least 20 places. As part of this
agenda, Uzbekistan joined IQNet earlier this year.


During the assembly, participants discussed ways to increase
export potential through the adoption of internationally recognized
quality management systems, facilitate access to global markets for
domestic manufacturers, and strengthen national quality
infrastructure in line with international best practices.


According to official figures, 1,689 enterprises in Uzbekistan
implemented a total of 3,382 management system standards in 2025.
The certifications included 1,530 ISO 9001 quality management
standards, 880 ISO 14001 environmental management standards, and
856 ISO 45001 occupational health and safety standards, among
others.


The government plans to introduce internationally recognized
management system standards at an additional 1,500 enterprises in
2026.







On the sidelines of the event, Uzbek officials reached
agreements with IQNet to organize training programs and seminars
focused on quality management systems, conformity assessment, and
workforce development. The cooperation is also expected to support
efforts to increase the number of internationally certified textile
and apparel manufacturers in Uzbekistan.


The delegation additionally held meetings with representatives
of Spain’s AENOR, Malaysia’s SIRIM Berhad, the Turkish Standards
Institution (TSE), the Czech certification association CQS, and
Indian Register Quality Systems (IRQS). Discussions focused on
standardization, conformity assessment, professional training,
scientific cooperation, and the exchange of technical
expertise.


A key outcome of the visit was the signing of a memorandum of
understanding with the Czech Engineering Test Institute (SZÚ),
establishing a framework for cooperation in industrial product
testing.


Uzbekistan representatives said the agreements reached during
the assembly will help strengthen international cooperation,
modernize the country’s quality infrastructure, and improve the
global competitiveness of Uzbek-made products.


Meanwhile, founded in 1990 and headquartered in Bern,
Switzerland, IQNet is one of the world's largest certification
networks, bringing together 36 leading certification organizations.
The network has issued more than 310,000 certificates in over 150
countries.