Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) -- In our country, a lot of work is being done to create favorable conditions for business, to liberalize legislation regulating the private sector, as well as protect the rights and legitimate interests of consumers.

For further development of viticulture and winemaking, improvement of the system of sales of alcohol and tobacco products, effective monitoring of their production and turnover, reduction of state participation in the economy, increase in the country's investment attractiveness and fulfillьуте of the objectives of the State Program for the Implementation of the Strategy for Action on the five priority areas of the Republic of Uzbekistan for 2017- 2021, in the Year of Active Investment and Social Development, on February 5, 2019, a Decree of the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan was adopted “On measures to improve state regulation of the production and turnover of alcohol and tobacco products and to improve viticulture and winemaking”. In accordance with it, the Inspection for regulating the alcohol and tobacco market under the Ministry of Finance of the Republic of Uzbekistan was established.

In accordance with the decree, the inspection is entrusted with a number of tasks and functions, including the regulation of the production and trade of food and technical ethyl alcohol, alcohol and tobacco products, the introduction of information systems for licensing the production and wholesale of alcohol products, and the monitoring and control of their production and turnover.

The decision of the Cabinet of Ministers of the Republic of Uzbekistan No 474 dating June 8, 2019 approved the Provisions of the inspection, No. 707 dated August 23, 2019 - a new procedure for licensing enterprises producing alcoholic beverages.

In September this year, the inspection issued licenses to Davr Sharob LLC, Samarkand Aqua Line LLC and Bulungur-1 LLC to produce alcohol beverages.

In addition, in accordance with Presidential Decree No. 4389 of July 10, 2019, a unified labeling system for certain goods and an electronic database for registering goods with tax authorities are being created. By the end of the year, the introduction of this system is planned in 5 enterprises and by the end of the second quarter of 2020 - in all enterprises producing ethyl alcohol and alcoholic beverages.

Work is underway to organize an electronic platform that ensures transparency, openness and fair trade in ethanol, alcohol and tobacco products.

Electronic invoices have been introduced to continuously monitor the amount of products sold, their amount, accrued excise tax and VAT. Currently, electronic invoices have been established by 4 enterprises producing ethyl alcohol, 44 - alcohol products, 72 - engaged in the wholesale trade of wine products, 2 - on the production of tobacco products and 16 - on the wholesale trade in tobacco products.

A concept has been developed for the use of software and the installation of electronic meters to create an information system, control daily production, sales and residues in enterprises producing ethyl alcohol and alcohol products. Work is underway on technical parameters.

It should also be noted that the Legislative Chamber of the Oliy Majlis adopted the following amendments to article 13 of the Law of the Republic № 302 dated October 5, 2011:

- It is forbidden to import alcoholic products (with the exception of beer and wine products) into the republic in polymeric food containers made of polyethylene, polystyrene and other polymeric materials.

- It is forbidden to trade with alcohol and tobacco products in shopping facilities located at a distance of less than 200 (two hundred) meters from educational, sports and religious institutions (with the exception of shopping malls (markets) and fair halls with a total area of ​​more than 1000 (thousand) square meters).

In addition, according to Appendix No. 1 to the Resolution of the Oliy Majlis of the Republic of Uzbekistan No. 222-II of May 12, 2001 “On the List of Activities Requiring Licenses”, activities which are the production of food and technical ethyl alcohol, alcohol products (except natural wine) and wholesale of alcohol products are licensed.