Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) -- The Presidential Decree  "On measures to further stimulate exploration and improve the taxation of subsoil users" was adopted.

From 1 January 2022, a special procedure will be established for the tendering of the rights to use a subsoil plot. Wherein:

- the amount of the sale is considered as the amount of the premium for the right to use the subsoil and is transferred to the republican budget minus the costs of the organizers of the competitive bidding;

- the organizer of competitive tenders or participants in competitive tenders has the right to offer increased tax rates for certain types of taxes in the extraction (extraction) of minerals.

From 1 January 2022, the following will be canceled:

- commercial bonus for the extraction of minerals, collected for the right to extract minerals;

- a signature bonus charged for the right to carry out activities for the identification and exploration of minerals.

From 1 January 2022:

- land plots allocated for geological prospecting and (or) exploration work are not subject to taxation by land tax levied on legal entities;

- an annual license fee is introduced for the use of subsoil for geological exploration.

Reimbursement of the VAT amount to legal entities carrying out geological exploration work is made no later than 30 days from the date of application.

From 1 October 2021:

- the rate of excise tax on the sale of natural gas for export is set at 0 percent;

- legal entities are exempt from paying customs duties when importing natural gas into the territory of Uzbekistan.