President Mirziyoyev signed decree Tuesday aimed at lifting legal loopholes, and in particular ordering full revision of regulations for duty-free import for personal goods , the Ministry of Justice said.
The government had tightened the duty-free import regulations for individuals Starting May 1,:
- when entering the country by air – $1,000 (previously $2,000);
- by rail and river transport – $500 (instead of $1,000);
- through vehicle and pedestrian checkpoints – $300.
Furthermore, for parcels via international courier shipments, the limit has been reduced from $1,000 per quarter to $200 per month. For parcels arriving by mail, the limit remains at $100.
On July 20, Uzbekistan introduced new duty-free import limits. To use the duty-free limit, individuals must now stay abroad for at least two days if returning on foot or by car, and at least three days if returning by plane.
If the stay is shorter than the established period, or if the individual has traveled abroad three or more times within a month, the duty-free limits do not apply. In this case, goods are considered to exceed the limit, and a single customs duty of 30% is levied on their full value. This has led to price increases for some goods, particularly expensive phones.
The Yuksalish movement underscored that in practice, the new regulations not only raise the financial burden on individuals but also negatively impact market competition. The Yuksalish’s chairman, Bobur Bekmurodov, stated that limits on goods that have no equivalent in Uzbekistan is illogical.
Repeal of approximately 800 regulations
According to the same presidential decree, approximately 800 regulations that have lost their relevance and significance will be repealed by means of regulatory guillotine.
This was discussed at a presentation to the president on November 21. The presentation has proposed to repeal approximately 800 regulations that had lost their significance and relevance, to revise 77 regulations, and reduce more than 15 excessive requirements for businesses, facilitating the conditions for doing business. By assessing the effectiveness of laws, conflicts of laws and legal gaps will be consistently lifted, the presidential press service said.
The decree has approved a "roadmap" for reducing certain mandatory requirements in business and other areas, as well as simplifying regulations, including:
- lifting mandatory recording of businesses' financial transactions in the E-Aktiv system;
- halving the price of the government service for registering mortgages;
- facilitating for disabled people who have not registered their right to a land plot for reasons beyond their control to enjoy tax benefits based on alternative documents.
