Kazakhstan wants to require foreign marketplaces to register to operate in country

ASTANA. Jan 14 (Interfax) - Kazakhstan plans to introduce a number of regulatory requirements for the operation of foreign marketplaces in the country, Trade and Integration Minister Arman Shakkaliyev said.

"We propose introducing mandatory requirements for foreign platforms, similar to those applied to the local marketplaces, including product safety, the fight against counterfeit products, the protection of the consumers' rights, the storage and protection of personal data, and tax and customs transparency. We propose introducing an online platform for the registration of foreign online marketplaces similar to the European Union," Shakkaliyev said on Tuesday during a government meeting.

Kazakhstan plans to ease the customs clearance procedures and optimize non-fiscal duties on imports in order to support and develop domestic e-commerce. The country also plans to implement special tax regimes for e-commerce companies, optimize the tax administration, and develop the warehousing and logistics infrastructure.

These measures will be introduced through amendments to the existing laws on e-commerce, taxation, consumer protection, and information security, the minister said.

The increasing number of complaints from Kazakhstan's citizens against foreign online marketplaces that are outside the jurisdiction of Kazakhstan has prompted the need to implement additional regulatory requirements.

"The situation puts our consumers at risk, as they are unable to protect their rights. The return or exchange of goods often becomes impossible owing to long distances between the countries. Furthermore, the goods purchased through foreign online shops are not certified, which jeopardizes the safety and quality of products. In our opinion, all these issues should be regulated by law," the minister said.