At a Government session, Minister of Trade and Integration Arman Shakkaliev presented measures for the digital transformation of the trade sector. The key areas included the implementation of the National Goods Catalog, electronic certification, labeling, as well as the development of digital marketplaces and targeted assistance.

According to the minister, the core of the new model is the concept of the “Digital Trade Mirror.” It covers the entire product life cycle, starting with code assignment and import into the country, and ending with store sales and receipt by the consumer, with mandatory registration of all stages.

The minister noted that, as part of the formation of a digital trade ecosystem, measures are being implemented for the cataloging and codification of goods. The Unified Classifier of Goods, Works, and Services (UCGWS) and the National Goods Catalog (NGC) are being introduced, which will allow the transition to a unified system of product accounting, standardization of names, and tracking the path from manufacturer to consumer.

He reported that, in the current year, the necessary legislative norms were adopted to regulate the procedure for maintaining the UCGWS and the mandatory use of the NGC. A total of 1.3 million goods have already been classified in the UCGWS. The integration of the NGC and the Electronic Goods Catalog is nearing completion.

The second element of the digital ecosystem, the minister said, is certification. He reported that last year the Technical Regulation Information System (TRIS) was launched, in which more than 100,000 applicants and 1,500 accreditation entities are registered. Approximately 3.5 million permits have been issued.

However, he noted that problems remain in this area, including the issuance of “gray certificates” outside the scope of accreditation, the use of paper certificates in government systems, and the lack of information on the availability of verification certificates. To address these issues, full digitalization of accreditation areas is planned, along with the integration of TRIS with other government systems, marketplaces, and the EAEU registry.

As part of efforts to combat the shadow economy, the minister announced the expansion of the list of goods subject to labeling.

“The deadlines have been set for the introduction of labeling for new product groups, namely motor oils by the end of 2025, brewing products from February 2026, light industry goods from March 2026, jewelry from December 2026, and dietary supplements from 2027,” the minister noted.

To ensure product traceability, several projects are being implemented. The first is a pilot project in cooperation with JSC “Kazakhtelecom” to create the Product Traceability Information System (PTIS), designed to digitalize mechanisms for price stabilization and monitoring. The minister clarified that 364 contracts worth nearly 100 billion tenge have already been entered into the system, and 1,436 legal entities have been registered.

At the instruction of the Prime Minister, an innovative agromarketplace is also being developed based on this system, which will provide direct digital interaction between producers, retail chains, and government agencies, eliminating intermediaries and non-transparent sales schemes.

“A domestic B2B platform of a new format is being developed, aimed at streamlining wholesale imports and supporting SMEs. The plan includes the introduction of digital solutions, simplification of procedures, and integration with suppliers through direct channels, including negotiations with JD.com and Alibaba Group,” Arman Shakkaliev said.

As part of the transition to targeted social assistance, measures are being implemented to strengthen control over the 15% markup on socially significant food products and to introduce food vouchers. A pilot project will be launched in the cities of Akkol, Kokshetau, and Pavlodar, where about 5,000 recipients of TSA will be able to purchase goods without a trade markup. The project has received support from deputies and has passed public discussion.

In the field of analytics, the minister pointed out that the trade sector generates more than 25 million fiscal receipts daily. A trade markup monitoring module has been implemented on the platform, which allows determining purchase and retail prices, identifying anomalies, and assessing the level of markup. Additionally, dashboards on food security are being introduced.

He also reported on the development of virtual assistants with elements of artificial intelligence: one for consumer protection, others for national standards and the laboratory base, as well as a trade flow analysis module. The first of these is already in the testing stage.

In conclusion, the minister noted that the implementation of the initiatives presented will allow the following indicators to be achieved by 2029:

• an increase in the trade physical volume index by 10%;

• a reduction in the share of the shadow economy to 2.82% of GDP;

• an increase in labor productivity in wholesale and retail trade by 141.8%;

• an increase in the efficiency of state regulation in the field of consumer protection to 77.1% by 2027.

#Digitalization #Government session #Trade

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