THE KYRGYZ REPUBLIC AND THE EU GSP

Economic Impact

Most EU imports from the Kyrgyz Republic are duty free under the EU's normal tariffs, and therefore GSP+-eligible imports account for a relatively small share of about 10%. The value of eligible imports was highly volatile over the years, but imports in 2022 to 2024 were among the highest since 2014. In most of the recent years, the preference utilisation rate of the Kyrgyz Republic was above 60%, having increased substantially following the country's transition to GSP+ status in January 2016. However, in 2023 and again in 2024, the utilisation rate dropped to 45% and then 30%. Use of the preferences varies considerably across product groups: among the most important ones, it is particularly high for food preparations and footwear, whereas some other sections, such as edible oils. wood and wood products, ceramics and glass, and machinery, hardly use the preferences.

The largest product sections under the GSP+ (€ million, 2024)

SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT AND MONITORING PRIORITIES

Kyrgyzstan has benefitted from GSP+ since 2016. During this period, the country has gone through several phases of transformation. Nonetheless, it has maintained steady engagement in GSP+ monitoring. There remains scope for Kyrgyzstan to maximise the economic benefits of its participation in the GSP+ arrangement.

Over the period 2023 to 2025, the following positive developments were noted:

• Human rights: Demonstrated progress in advancing social rights and protection and women’s rights. The country strengthened legislation on domestic, sexual, and gender-based violence and issued government action plans on child rights.
• Labour rights: Lifted the moratorium on unannounced labour inspections and promoted women’s rights and equality.
• Environment/Climate: Overhauled waste legislation by adopting the new Law "On Production and Consumption Waste" No 181 in August 2023, replacing the 2001 framework and setting state policy principles, rules on hazardous-waste management, licensing, waste inventories and extended producer responsibility.
• Governance: Advanced anti-corruption efforts with a new Anti-corruption Strategy and the increased liability for corruption offences.

Remaining issues and priorities for future engagement are:

• Human rights: Prosecutions of independent journalists, bloggers, and civil society representatives in all areas of public activity are increasing. Independent oversight remains hampered by shrinking civic space, growing pressure on independent media and non-governmental organisations, and the controversial dissolution of the National Centre for the Prevention of Torture in 2025. There is a need to enable space for civic space and media freedom.
• Labour rights: Effective realisation of freedom of association and the right to collective bargaining, work on ensuring non-discrimination, and ensuring sufficient resources and empowering labour inspectors remain crucial to further progress, including with regards to the elimination of forced labour and child labour. Enforcement of labour rights through a fully empowered and well-resourced Labour Inspectorate.
• Governance: Need to implement anti-corruption plans, transparency, and rule of law.

For more information about Kyrgyzstan's compliance with the GSP conventions, see the convention compliance database. Also see the factsheet on Kyrgyzstan.

Monitoring priorities during the reporting period 2024-2025

For the reporting period 2024-2025, the EU has focussed its monitoring activities on eight priority areas, primarly on civic freedoms, human rights and rule of law.