The new administration of the United States, led by Donald Trump, views the maintenance of the Jackson-Vanik amendment in relations with the Central Asian republics as a relic of the Cold War. This was reported by TASS.

The Jackson-Vanik amendment to the Trade Act was adopted by the U.S. Congress in 1974 during the Cold War. It restricts trade relations with countries that have a "non-market economy" and do not allow their citizens to emigrate or impose barriers to emigration.

The primary aim was to combat exit bans from the Soviet Union and other countries in the socialist bloc. Although the USSR has long since dissolved, the amendment remained in effect for several countries, including those in Central Asia.

“This is a relic of a bygone era,” said U.S. Secretary of State nominee Marco Rubio during Senate hearings. He also added that using the amendment as a pressure tool in modern conditions seems absurd.

Rubio emphasized that the U.S. Department of Commerce has already recognized Kazakhstan as a market economy, further confirming the outdated nature of this law. In his view, it is essential to seek new approaches in relations with the regions rather than relying on mechanisms that have lost their relevance.

The nomination of Marco Rubio, representing the state of Florida, has already received broad support in the Senate. His confirmation as Secretary of State is expected to take place in the coming days after Trump’s inauguration.

Additionally, the new U.S. president nominated cryptocurrency supporter Paul Atkins to head the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The financial sector welcomed this decision, anticipating reforms in crypto regulation.

Previously, Spot reported that Trump intends to abolish birthright citizenship in the U.S.

According to data from the U.S. Congress, among the former Soviet countries, along with Uzbekistan, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, and Turkmenistan are subject to the Jackson-Vanik amendment; however, they are granted conditional or temporary status of “normal trade relations” with annual reviews. Kyrgyzstan was removed from the amendment's jurisdiction in 2000, while Latvia, Lithuania, and Estonia were removed in 1991.

Belarus traded with the U.S. under similar conditions until 2022, when its conditional status was revoked due to the conflict between Russia and Ukraine. At that time, Russia also lost its permanent trade relations, as the amendment was lifted upon its accession to the WTO in 2012. Besides them, the amendment remains in effect for Cuba and North Korea.