Advertising on corporate vehicles in Uzbekistan moves to a notification-based system

Artyom Pasichnik

Placing advertising on corporate vehicles in Uzbekistan has been switched to a notification-based procedure, and the fee, which previously amounted to 90% of the basic calculation value (396,000 soums), has been abolished altogether. The Cabinet of Ministers' resolution is dated October 13; the document was prepared taking into account proposals from the Committee for Competition Development, which, it must be acknowledged, genuinely met business halfway.

Now a company that owns vehicles by right of ownership or on another legal basis submits an application through the Unified Portal of Interactive Public Services (EPIGU). The application is deemed received by the regional authorities — the Council of Ministers of Karakalpakstan, the khokimiyats of the regions, or the Digital Development Department of Tashkent — from the moment of submission. The advertising place passport (a document confirming the legality of placing outdoor advertising) is issued automatically and free of charge.

We are talking about stickers with trademarks, messages about the company's line of business, goods and services. Nothing more. But that is enough.

What changes for businesses?

Three practical consequences.

• Zero fees. The fee for reviewing an application — 396,000 soums — has been abolished.
• Automation. The passport is generated without an official's involvement, reducing timelines to a technical minimum.
• Online opt-out. A company may voluntarily renounce its advertising place passport via EPIGU; the application is automatically forwarded to the tax authorities.

There is a stick in the mechanism, however. If the application lists someone else's trademarks or inaccurate information, the passport is automatically annulled and the applicant receives a notification. Formally — a reasonable safeguard against legal conflicts over other people's brands. In practice — one more reason to fill out the paperwork carefully.