Uzbekistan plans to establish a special register of benefits and incentives available to businesses. This will result from amendments to the Law 'On Guarantees of Freedom of Entrepreneurial Activity,' which was approved by President Shavkat Mirziyoyev on August 17. This law also establishes new rules for providing state support to enterprises and allows for discounted payment of financial fines.
The register will contain information about the benefits and incentives provided to entrepreneurs, their validity periods, and the procedure for obtaining these measures. The process of creating and updating the register will be determined by the Cabinet of Ministers, while the Ministry of Economy and Finance will maintain it on a specialized platform.
According to the new provisions, support measures will be provided on equal terms and through transparent mechanisms, based on the economic sector, field of activity, and region. Unjustified refusal to provide benefits or creating obstacles to their use is prohibited.
The law provides for various forms of state assistance to businesses, including customs and tax benefits, credit subsidization, grants, financial subsidies, infrastructure development assistance, personnel training support, and non-financial incentives. However, support measures related to export goals or import substitution are prohibited in the trade turnover sector.
The document also specifies the purposes for which specific support measures can be provided. Subsidies can be used for implementing green technologies, developing tourism, education, and healthcare, connecting enterprises to engineering infrastructure, promoting social entrepreneurship, and reducing the shadow economy. State grants will be directed towards projects with economic and social significance, as well as innovative ideas and social entrepreneurship projects. The procedure and conditions for granting grants will be approved by the Cabinet of Ministers.
Tax benefits may be provided in accordance with the Tax Code or, in certain cases, by presidential decisions. Customs benefits will be provided according to the Customs Code.
Social Support
To support subsidized lending, the government will be able to compensate banks for part of the interest rate on issued loans, establish targeted credit lines, and attract funds from international financial institutions. The state can also participate in risk-sharing schemes for unsecured loans.
Social entrepreneurship projects can apply for measures such as state social orders, assistance in training and professional development, as well as consulting and methodological support. The law will enter into force three months after publication, specifically on November 18, 2026.