Kazakhstan: Foreign Marketplaces To Register

As the trend of purchasing goods from foreign marketplaces grows among Kazakhstan's consumers, so does the number of complaints regarding product quality, Orda.kz reports.

During a recent government meeting, the Minister of Trade and Integration, Arman Shakkaliyev highlighted this concern.

Shakkaliyev explained that these problems arise as foreign marketplaces and sellers operate outside Kazakhstan's jurisdiction.

This poses significant risks to consumers who struggle to protect their rights.

Due to the considerable distances between countries, meeting the requirements for returning or exchanging goods often becomes impractical. Additionally, products purchased through foreign online stores bypass certification procedures, compromising their safety and quality,said Arman Shakkaliyev. 

The Minister believes that legislative action is needed to address these issues.

According to Shakkaliev, international practices show quite strict standards in areas such as tax legislation, copyright infringement, and the regulation of low-quality and unsafe goods.

He stressed prioritizing consumer rights and personal data protection in any regulatory framework.

Arman Shakkaliyev has put forward several proposals:

• Establish mandatory requirements for foreign platforms that are at least as strict as those applied to domestic platforms.
• These requirements would include compliance with product safety standards, anti-counterfeiting measures, consumer rights protection, personal data storage and protection, and tax and customs transparency.
• Develop an electronic platform for registering foreign internet platforms and online stores.

Shakkaliyev also shared the good news: Kazakhstan has launched a new domestic marketplace, Teez, with its infrastructure and a 100,000-square-meter facility.

Shortly, 10,000 jobs will be created, and investments have already reached 50 million dollars, the Minister announced.

To further support the growth of domestic e-business, the Ministry of Trade and Integration has proposed: 

• Simplifying customs clearance procedures and optimizing non-fiscal duties on imports.
• Introducing special tax regimes for e-commerce entities and optimizing tax administration processes.
• Expanding warehouse and logistics infrastructure.

Original Author: Zhadra Zhulmukhametova