Uzbekistan to tighten product safety rules and boost market oversight

The "On General Product Safety" bill introduces a risk-based approach to non-food goods, mandating stricter controls for high-risk products while ensuring that regulations do not create unnecessary obstacles to trade. This alignment with the World Trade Organization’s (WTO) Agreement on Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT) focuses primarily on product safety and performance. Under the new rules, manufacturers, importers, and retailers will bear greater responsibility for compliance, including the preparation of technical documentation and the application of conformity markings.

A key feature of the proposal is the "presumption of conformity," which deems products safe if they are manufactured in line with established standards. Lawmakers emphasized that assessments will now consider how goods interact with other products and their conditions of use, with a specific focus on protecting vulnerable groups, including children, the elderly, and people with disabilities.

The second draft law focuses on overhauling the technical regulation system. These reforms include bringing metrology in line with international standards, strengthening the independence of accreditation bodies, and expanding the use of voluntary standards. While some mandatory state registration requirements will be abolished to ease the burden on businesses, the legislation introduces financial penalties for non-compliance. This includes fines for inaccurate or misleading product labeling, intended to prevent consumer misrepresentation and ensure a level playing field in the domestic market.