Uzbekistan Business Ombudsman launches project for entrepreneurs

Uzbekistan's Business Ombudsman has initiated a new undertaking, "I Have a Question for the Business Ombudsman," designed to enable business owners to pose inquiries regarding business operations to expert professionals.

The responses from these specialists will be disseminated via the Business Ombudsman's official communication platforms.

Entrepreneurs can submit their questions via email to [email protected]. This program aims to furnish entrepreneurs with clarifications on matters pertinent to their commercial endeavors.

The Business Ombudsman institution was founded in 2017 as part of a series of reforms intended to bolster the legal safeguards for entrepreneurs, diminish administrative hurdles, and secure property rights.

Presidential Decree No. UP-5037, which established this institution, was enacted on May 5, 2017.

The Business Ombudsman is an official whose appointment and removal are at the discretion of the President of Uzbekistan.

Its primary responsibility is to guarantee the protection of businesses' rights and legitimate interests, and to oversee adherence to these rights by governmental, law enforcement, and regulatory bodies.

The institution's mandate encompasses reviewing appeals from entrepreneurs, monitoring the actions of government entities, participating in judicial proceedings, scrutinizing draft regulatory legal acts, and formulating recommendations for legislative enhancements.

Furthermore, the Business Ombudsman contributes to the formulation and execution of state policy concerning the protection of entrepreneurs' rights, offers legal assistance during business inspections, and evaluates the impact of regulatory legal acts on business activities.

The organizational framework of the institution has progressively expanded. In 2017, the system comprised eight employees. By 2019, this figure had risen to 101, at which point a network of regional offices was established. This development intensified efforts to identify and resolve entrepreneurs' issues directly within the regions.

This new initiative offers entrepreneurs an additional avenue for obtaining clarifications on matters related to their operations.

Questions will be received at the aforementioned email address, and the expert-prepared answers will be published on the Business Ombudsman's official information channels.