TASHKENT, Uzbekistan, April 9. Uzbekistan is
aiming to increase the share of e-commerce in retail trade to
9–11%, Trend reports
via the press service of the Uzbek president.
The target was announced during a meeting presided over by
President Shavkat Mirziyoyev, where proposals for accelerating the
growth of e-commerce and developing bonded warehouse infrastructure
were presented.
Currently, e-commerce constitutes 4-4.6% of Uzbekistan's retail
trade, which is approximately five times lower than the global
average of 22%.
To strengthen the sector, significant focus was placed on the
creation of bonded warehouses. These facilities would allow the
storage of imported goods under customs control, with deferred
payment of duties and taxes, facilitating smoother trade
processes.
Additionally, the introduction of a system in which customs
duties are paid at the point of sale was highlighted as a potential
strategy to improve the investment climate. This measure could
attract at least $500 million in investments.
Such customs mechanisms are already widely implemented in
countries such as Russia, China, Kazakhstan, the United Arab
Emirates, the United Kingdom, Germany, and Singapore.
Notably, Uzbekistan’s e-commerce market has expanded twentyfold
over the past eight years, reaching a value of $1.3 billion.
