Bishkek: The Cabinet of the Ministers of Kyrgyzstan has approved a six-month temporary ban on the export of catalysts and waste containing precious metals. The new regulation targets used catalysts, slags, ash, and residues from processed catalysts that can be utilized for metal extraction or chemical reagent production. It also applies to palladium, rhodium, and platinum scrap and residues, as well as catalytic components such as mufflers and exhaust pipes.
According to Trend News Agency, the Ministry of Economy is tasked with notifying the World Trade Organization and the Eurasian Economic Commission about the ban, while the Ministry of Foreign Affairs will inform the CIS Executive Committee. Customs and border services are responsible for enforcing the restriction.
Meanwhile, Kyrgyzstan’s trade turnover reached $6.999 billion in the first half of 2025, marking a 12.4 percent decrease compared to the same period in 2024. During this period, exports totaled $1.049 billion, reflecting a decline of 26.3 percent, whereas imports decreased by 9.4 percent to $5.950 billion.
The trade structure showed that exports constituted 15 percent of the total turnover, while imports made up 85 percent. Trade with Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) member states accounted for 32.1 percent of the total turnover, comprising 41.5 percent of exports and 30.5 percent of imports. In contrast, trade with non-EAEU countries represented 67.9 percent of the total turnover, with 58.5 percent of exports and 69.5 percent of imports.