Enterprise Uzbekistan Offers Tech Firms English-Law Framework and Tax Incentives Through 2100
Uzbekistan is offering international technology companies a separate legal regime based on principles of English law, tax incentives, three-year visas for foreign specialists, and a regulatory sandbox for testing new products. The measures will form the basis of Enterprise Uzbekistan, a new international center for digital technologies. Organizers presented the project a ICT Week Uzbekistan 2026, held in Tashkent from September 22 to 25, during which they hosted a dedicated Enterprise Uzbekistan Summit. [caption id="attachment_56891" align="aligncenter" width="1200"] Davron Yakubov, managing partner at BDO Uzbekistan[/caption] The government hopes the new regime will reduce some of the risks foreign companies face when entering Uzbekistan, including changes in tax rules, commercial disputes, and restrictions on hiring overseas staff. The special regime is planned to remain in place through 2100, while conditions granted to participants are not supposed to become less favorable over time. Farkhod Ibragimov, Chief Executive of Enterprise Uzbekistan, said foreign companies entering a new market typically want to know how long incentives will last, how disputes will be resolved, and what tax, customs, and visa rules they will face. Sultonmurod Rasulov, Head of Strategic Partnerships at Enterprise Uzbekistan, argued that uncertainty itself imposes costs on businesses. “Uncertainty is a kind of hidden tax on every direction a business moves in and every decision it makes,” Rasulov said. For technology companies, he added, rapid economic growth alone is not enough. “Global clients do not buy Uzbekistan’s GDP. They buy certainty, they buy products, they buy predictability.” English Law, Commercial Court, and Regulatory Sandbox Enterprise Uzbekistan is being established as a separate legal environment for international technology companies. English will be the official language for documentation, while its legal framework will draw on the common law of England and Wales. Commercial disputes are expected to fall under the jurisdiction of the Tashkent International Commercial Court. “Even if the Enterprise Uzbekistan administration makes a wrong decision regarding a company, it will be able to challenge that decision in an independent court,” Ibragimov said. The center will also include a regulatory sandbox allowing companies to test products in areas where existing rules have not kept pace with new technologies. The regime is expected to cover cloud data storage and processing, international recruitment, and investment instruments familiar to foreign investors. Companies will be allowed 100% foreign ownership, while more flexible employment arrangements are planned for overseas specialists. Taxes and Visas Enterprise Uzbekistan plans to apply three main taxes: value-added tax (VAT), corporate income tax, and personal income tax. Priority activities may qualify for exemptions from corporate income tax and a zero VAT rate on sales abroad and within the center, subject to the final rules. Rasulov said highly qualified foreign specialists may also qualify for zero personal income tax on salaries and dividends. Foreign specialists are expected to be eligible for visas valid for up to three years, renewable without leaving Uzbekistan. Those meeting Enterprise Uzbekistan requirements will not need a separate work permit. Technology Exports and Talent Rasulov said Uzbekistan’s information and communications technology (ICT)...
