On March 14, the President of Uzbekistan signed the decree, introducing significant changes to export procedures. The decree aims to align national regulations with World Trade Organization (WTO) standards while fostering the production of finished goods with added value.
Introduction of Export Duties
Effective from July 1, Uzbekistan will impose export customs duties on 86 types of goods. These include raw leather, semi-finished leather products, raw silk, cotton yarn, and knitted fabric goods. Previously, the export of these items was subject to association fees, which have now been abolished.
The decree also affects the export of meat products, wheat, grain, rice, mineral fertilizers, PET waste, and non-ferrous metal scrap. Previously, these goods required special permissions based on decisions from the President or the Government. These restrictions have now been lifted, streamlining export processes.
Focus on Domestic Processing and Value Addition
To enhance local industrial development, the government emphasizes processing strategic raw materials produced in Uzbekistan. These include natural gas, cotton fiber, mineral fertilizers, polyethylene, polypropylene, polystyrene, polyethylene terephthalate (PET), PVC, and copper raw materials. By supporting the domestic processing industry, the decree aims to strengthen the country’s value-added production sector.
Economic and Investment Impact
The decree is expected to:
- Improve export procedures in line with WTO standards,
- Encourage the production of finished goods using local raw materials,
- Enhance the investment attractiveness of Uzbekistan’s processing industry.
These measures are part of Uzbekistan’s broader strategy to modernize its trade policies, attract foreign investment, and develop competitive industries for global markets.
