What will change in Uzbekistan from November 1?

What changes in Uzbekistan from November 1?

Starting November 1, a series of legislative changes and other news will come into force in Uzbekistan.

From November 1, new requirements will be introduced in Uzbekistan for promotional calls and SMS notifications distributed via mobile communications. To send advertising, it will be necessary to obtain the prior written or electronic consent of the citizen.

Additionally, sending promotional calls and notifications from 18:00 to 09:00 is prohibited. Upon the subscriber's request, mobile operators must fully or partially block promotional calls and SMS messages.

Companies providing advertising distribution services must register their information systems in the State Register of Personal Data Databases. Violation of these requirements will be assessed as a violation of the legislation on advertising and personal data.

From November 1, old-age pensions will be assigned to certain citizens in Uzbekistan without an application. Also, the service for assigning pensions on preferential terms will be provided in an interactive format.

For persons recognized as unemployed due to a reduction in the volume of work or the liquidation of an enterprise, an old-age pension will be assigned in a proactive form, that is, without a separate application, two years before the generally established pension age. In this case, the citizen has the right to refuse the pension assigned to them in this manner.

For persons engaged in work with harmful and heavy working conditions, as well as those entitled to receive a pension with a reduced retirement age on other grounds, the service for assigning pensions on preferential terms will be provided in an interactive format. For this, citizens can apply through Public Services Centers or the Single Interactive State Services Portal (my.gov.uz).

From November 1, a new system for supplying liquefied gas to the population will be introduced in Uzbekistan. The company LPG-Trade, established under "Hududgaztaminot", will act as a specialized operator for gas delivery to the population.

Liquefied gas produced by "O'zbekneftgaz" and Lukoil Overseas Supply and Trading Ltd will be fully placed on a separate trading platform of the commodity exchange. LPG-Trade will purchase gas from this platform for the needs of the population; if the volume is insufficient, it can acquire additional gas through open exchange trading. Importers can also sell gas on this platform.

Gas will be delivered to the population at state-regulated retail prices. The difference between these prices and economically justified costs will be covered for LPG-Trade from the republic budget. The company will receive a budget loan of 200 billion sums for the reorganization of the system.

From November 1, electricity and gas payments and reporting procedures for entrepreneurs will be simplified.

In particular, entrepreneurs who connect electricity and natural gas accounting to an automated system and use meters capable of remote disconnection and connection will make a 15 percent advance payment for monthly consumption. Previously, the advance payment amount was 100 percent. However, this relief will not apply to entrepreneurs who have failed to comply with payment discipline over the last two months.

In addition, the obligation to submit written reports on electricity and gas consumption to regional supply enterprises will be canceled. The procedure for issuing contracts for electricity and natural gas supply services on paper will also be canceled by concluding them in electronic form.

To implement energy-efficient technologies in greenhouse facilities and support their sustainable operation, a part of electricity expenses will be reimbursed starting November 1.

From November 1, 2026, to April 1, 2030, greenhouses covered with special heat-retaining "blankets" or using energy-efficient "green" heating equipment will be allocated a subsidy in the amount of 50 percent of the cost of electricity consumed in October-March.

Such equipment includes heat pumps, geothermal and solar heating systems, as well as high-efficiency heating systems operating on electricity.

From November 1, changes will be made to the activities of the patrol-post and guard services of the internal affairs bodies. In addition to public places, they will also have to arrive promptly upon receiving messages via "112" regarding crimes and incidents occurring in citizens' homes.

Another change is that internal streets of mahallas will also be included in patrol routes. Maintaining public order on 24/7 gastronomic streets will be carried out by patrol-post service units. For this purpose, an agreement will be concluded between the internal affairs bodies and regional khokimiyats.

The access of persons who violated public order during mass events to subsequent mass events may also be temporarily restricted.

In Uzbekistan, from November 1, 2026, the fee collected for customs clearance of international courier shipments will be reduced by 20 percent.

Currently, the fee is 2 percent of the base calculating amount (BCA) for each gross kilogram of the shipment, which is 8,800 sums. From November 1, the rate will be lowered to 1.6 percent of the BCA, amounting to 7,040 sums per kilogram.

From November 1, the autumn sapling planting season within the framework of the "Yashil Makon" nationwide project will start in the Republic of Karakalpakstan and the Khorezm region. A total of 140 million saplings are planned to be planted across the republic this autumn.

Tree planting works will begin at different times in the regions: from November 5 in Bukhara and Navoiy regions; from November 10 in Andijan, Jizzakh, Samarkand, Syrdarya, Namangan, Tashkent, Fergana regions, and Tashkent city; and from November 20 in Surkhandarya and Kashkadarya regions.

Also, by November 1, programs for the landscaping of each district and city must be developed. They will define measures to establish new gardens and parks, organize shaded walking avenues, and introduce water-saving irrigation systems.

The ability to use Apple Pay and Google Pay payment services has appeared in Uzbekistan. From October 27, iPhone users have been able to add cards from local banks to Apple Wallet. The launch of Google Pay was officially announced on October 19, and connecting cards to the service began on October 27.

The Central Bank informed that work on connecting Uzcard and Humo cards to Apple Pay is ongoing, and this capability will be provided soon. The regulator stated that access to the service will be expanded gradually depending on the technical readiness of banks and payment systems.