Uzbekistan

    Legislative Updates in E-Commerce Uzbekistan – January 2025   New Initiatives for the Advancement of E-Commerce in Uzbekistan On December 26, 2024, the Cabinet of Ministers of the Republic of Uzbekistan (“Uzbekistan”) adopted Resolution No. 885 "On Measures for the Further Development with the sphere E-Commerce in the Republic of Uzbekistan" (the "Regulation No. 885"). Below is an overview of the key regulatory innovations in e-commerce introduced by the Regulation No. 885. Conditions for Recognizing E-Commerce Operators in Uzbekistan have been established According to the Regulation No. 885, only legal entities that are residents of Uzbekistan can qualify as e-commerce operators (including electronic trading platforms, order aggregators, and digital streaming service providers). Meanwhile, legal entities and/or individual entrepreneurs who do not assume obligations under electronic contracts or transactions and are limited to providing information about goods (works, services) and digital products through their informational resources or platforms are not considered e-commerce operators. New Conditions and Requirements for E-Commerce Operators will be Introduced starting from July 1, 2025 According to the Regulation No. 885, starting from July 1, 2025, e-commerce operators must adhere to a notification-based regulatory framework, which includes the following conditions and requirements: Register as a legal entity within Uzbekistan, Comply with the applicable legislation of Uzbekistan in the fields of e-commerce, personal data protection, copyright, consumer rights, advertising, and other regulatory legal acts, Provide information related to their activities in the field of e-commerce to the authorized body upon request and free of charge, Comply with the retail trade regulations in force within Uzbekistan, Ensure the availability of an information system that guarantees the required level of functionality for providing services to e-commerce participants, Ensure the accuracy of the information contained in the notification of the commencement of activities, Ensure mandatory registration of information regarding new employment contracts, amendments to existing contracts, terminations, and details of active employment contracts in the interdepartmental software and hardware complex “Unified National Labor System,” if required for performing relevant employee-related actions. Comply with other requirements and conditions, considering the specific nature of the activities carried out under the notification procedure. In addition, according to the Regulation No. 885, starting from July 1, 2025, legal entities, individual entrepreneurs, and self-employed individuals engaged in e-commerce will be subject to the following requirements: Legal entities, individual entrepreneurs, and self-employed individuals engaged in the sale of goods, provision of services, or passenger transportation through electronic platforms are now required to use separate bank accounts for all financial transactions, The income generated by self-employed individuals in the field of e-commerce must be credited to a specially designated bank account. A bank card linked to this account shall be used to track incoming funds. Funds credited to this account will be included in the calculation of revenue for goods and services sold. Based on this data, self-employed individuals will be recognized as turnover taxpayers. Special Conditions for Legal Entities, Entrepreneurs, and Self-Employed Individuals As an exception, the Regulation No. 885 permits self-employed individuals engaged in the delivery of goods (works, services) or passenger transportation by light motor vehicles to: Pre-deposit funds into specially designated bank accounts of self-employed individuals, with subsequent debiting in favor of suppliers of goods (works, services) or e-commerce entities, Accept cash payments for delivered goods (works, services). In this case, it is permissible for self-employed individuals to retain cash in an amount equivalent to the amount transferred to the supplier of goods (services) from the separate bank account, without mandatory cash collection. When exporting goods via electronic trading platforms, legal entities, individual entrepreneurs, and self-employed individuals are allowed to send goods sold online to foreign buyers through courier and postal services, including without registering contracts in the Unified Electronic Information System for Foreign Trade Operations. Note: Additionally, electronic trading platforms are required to ensure the integration of their systems with the information resources of the State Tax Committee of Uzbekistan and the Customs Committee under the Ministry of Economy and Finance of Uzbekistan. Instructions on Improving E-Commerce Regulation and Implementing Control Mechanisms In accordance with the Regulation No. 885, the Statistics Agency of Uzbekistan, in collaboration with the National Agency for Perspective Projects (the “NAPP”) and with the support of foreign experts, has been tasked with introducing reporting forms for e-commerce entities by July 1, 2025, based on international best practices. In addition, within the context of fulfilling the requirements of the Regulation No. 885, the NAPP is required to undertake the following actions within three months: Develop and approve the procedure for conducting courier activities in the field of e-commerce, In collaboration with the Committee for Competition Development and Consumer Rights Protection develop mechanisms for online dispute resolution within the realm of electronic commerce in Uzbekistan and present the corresponding proposals to the Cabinet of Ministers. In collaboration with other authorized ministries and agencies, develop and submit draft regulatory legal acts to the Cabinet of Ministers. These proposals should introduce new concepts and terms into e-commerce legislation and provide for the implementation of the notification procedure for e-commerce operators in accordance with the conditions and requirements mentioned above. Additionally, the establishment of a register of e-commerce entities is planned.

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