The Republic of Uzbekistan has signed the OECD and Council of Europe Convention on Mutual Administrative Assistance in Tax Matters (MAAC). The signing ceremony took place on July 15, 2026, at the OECD headquarters in Paris, according to the Tax Committee.
The document was signed on behalf of Uzbekistan by Nodir Ganiev, the Ambassador and Plenipotentiary Representative of Uzbekistan in France. Fabrizia Lapecorella, Deputy Secretary General of the OECD, was also present at the ceremony.
The Tax Committee noted that joining this Convention is the result of many years of efforts to harmonize national legislation with international standards. As part of the preparation, specialists conducted a legal analysis, agreed on the necessary package of documents, organized interaction with OECD experts and member states, and completed all necessary legal and organizational procedures. Following these steps, member states invited Uzbekistan to join the document in accordance with Article 28.
Currently, the Tax Committee is undergoing a Peer Review by the OECD Global Forum on Transparency and Exchange of Information for Tax Purposes. The agency emphasized that joining MAAC strengthens the country's position within this assessment and confirms its commitment to international standards of tax transparency.
The MAAC Convention unites over 150 countries and jurisdictions, providing a legal basis for various forms of administrative assistance in tax matters without the need to conclude separate bilateral agreements. Currently, Uzbekistan exchanges tax information with 55 states based on bilateral double taxation avoidance agreements. After completing internal procedures and the Convention coming into force—expected on January 1, 2027—the volume of such cooperation is expected to increase significantly.
Participation in the Convention is expected to strengthen the fight against hiding foreign income and assets, tax fraud, illegal profit outflow, money laundering, and corruption. Furthermore, the document creates a legal framework for implementing the automatic exchange of financial account information (CRS), crypto assets (CARF), Country-by-Country Reporting (CbCR), and other international standards developed under the BEPS initiative.
The Tax Committee also indicated that joining MAAC will contribute to increased tax revenues through international information exchange mechanisms, enhanced investment attractiveness due to compliance with global transparency standards, and protection of taxpayer rights through unified confidentiality standards. The agency stated its intention to continue working on the implementation of the Convention, preparing for international tax information exchange, and further improving tax administration in line with international practice.
In Tashkent, Uzbekistan and Azerbaijan held the 15th meeting of the Intergovernmental Commission on Cooperation and the Business Council, during which a new agreement covering investment, industrial cooperation, and mineral resource development was signed.
Representatives of state bodies and leading business circles from both countries took part in the meeting. The main goal of the discussions was to expand trade and economic interaction, as well as strengthen investment and industrial partnership.
Participants noted a significant growth in bilateral trade, which reached almost 40% between January and May 2026. The parties confirmed their common goal of increasing annual trade turnover to 1 billion US dollars.
During the council, the progress of joint projects in areas such as geological exploration, precious metal mining, textile industry, tourism, and urban development was reviewed. Additionally, initiatives in the pharmaceutical, electrical engineering, and food sectors, as well as the production of building materials, were discussed.
Special attention was paid to strengthening interregional cooperation and preparing for the fourth Uzbekistan-Azerbaijan Interregional Forum, scheduled for August. The parties also discussed expanding the portfolio of projects managed by the joint investment company. At the end of the meeting, the protocol of the 15th session of the Intergovernmental Commission, as well as a package of bilateral agreements concerning investment, financing, industrial cooperation, geological exploration, and mineral exploitation, were signed.
The Senate of the Oliy Majlis approved a law on July 10th that provides for Uzbekistan's accession to the Geneva Act of the Lisbon Agreement. This step marks the country's twentieth international treaty in the field of intellectual property.
The new document significantly eases the process for local producers to enter international markets by minimizing bureaucratic complexities when registering unique goods outside the country. According to information from the Ministry of Justice press service, a 'one-window' system is being implemented through the World Intellectual Property Organization.
Exporters will no longer need to submit numerous separate documents to various agencies in dozens of countries. Now, it is sufficient to send one application, which will be valid across the entire territory covered by the agreement. This new procedure will reduce business costs for foreign brand registration by an average of a quarter.
International protection now covers not only fully produced products but also goods whose fame is closely linked to a specific region. Currently, 36 such trademarks are registered in Uzbekistan, including Chust knives, Samarkand bread, Margilan adras, and Khorezm melons. The new regulation will ensure reliable protection of these trademarks against counterfeiting abroad and accelerate the republic's accession to the World Trade Organization.
In addition, on Thursday, July 9th, the senate approved a number of other laws. These include initiatives aimed at tightening fire safety requirements, as well as laws on the protection of women and children from violence and 'On Social Work.'
The Central Bank of Uzbekistan and the National Bank of Serbia have concluded a cooperation agreement. This memorandum is aimed at joint work to counter the laundering of criminal proceeds and the financing of terrorism.
The agreement provides for deepening interaction between the parties in issues of combating the legalization of criminally obtained funds, as well as preventing the financing of terrorism and the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction.
In addition, the central banks plan to exchange knowledge and experience in areas such as financial technologies, digital currencies, the concept of open banking, and risk assessment methods.
It was previously announced that supervision over large sums transferred by bank cards will be tightened in Uzbekistan. Banks will gain the ability to monitor large transactions more closely and report information to the relevant authorities upon detecting suspicious activity, without informing the client.
