Tourist centers to be permitted to open duty-free shops 

The draft amendments to the Customs Code, adopted by the Senate of Uzbekistan, provide for the expansion of duty-free trade. Spot reports referring to the Senate press service.

In particular, for the development of the tourism industry, the number and availability of Duty Free shops is increasing.

“Now, not only at airports, but also in the centers of historical cities of our country - Samarkand, Bukhara, Khorezm, Kokand, duty-free shops “duty free” will be created,” Tolibjon Madumarov, a senator from the Andijan region, said.

The law also simplifies the procedure for exporting goods and creates additional convenience for entrepreneurs. For example, customs documents will now be processed in one day instead of three, and the placement of goods and vehicles under the customs regime will also be canceled.

The opening of duty-free shops in tourist cities was discussed back in 2018. In January 2019, the President signed a decree on the development of tourism, requiring the preparation of a regulatory framework for this.

A month later, the State Customs Committee prepared a draft law with an amendment to open duty-free trade in cities, but later on that initiative was not reported.

In December 2019, the State Committee for Tourism (later transformed into the Ministry of Tourism and Sports) submitted for discussion a bill that provided for the opening of duty-free shops at all international airports of Uzbekistan.