Mirziyoyev Discusses E-commerce Development and Bonded Warehouses

Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) — President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev reviewed a presentation of proposals aimed at the further development of electronic commerce and the establishment of a bonded warehouse system.

During the presentation, it was noted that over the past eight years, the volume of e-commerce in the country has increased 20-fold, reaching $1.3 billion. Today, more than 120 digital platforms operate in this sector. The expansion of the self-employment regime, along with simplified licensing and taxation procedures, has helped create approximately 750,000 high-income jobs. Additionally, the sector contributes around 200 billion soums in annual tax revenue.

Despite these results, significant growth potential remains. E-commerce currently accounts for 4–4.6 percent of total retail turnover—roughly five times lower than the global average of 22 percent. Estimates suggest this figure could be increased to 9–11 percent.

Special attention was paid to infrastructure development, including the creation of bonded warehouses—specialized facilities for storing imported goods under customs control with deferred payment of duties and taxes.

It was noted that transitioning to a system where customs payments are collected at the point of sale could attract at least $500 million in investment. Similar practices are already utilized in countries such as Russia, China, Kazakhstan, the UAE, the UK, Germany, and Singapore.

Currently, the total area of warehouse space in Uzbekistan stands at 634,000 square meters, with 72 percent concentrated in Tashkent and the Tashkent region. Only 34 percent of these warehouses meet modern "Class A" standards. Experts estimate that approximately 2.5 million square meters of such facilities will be required over the next five years to ensure sustainable economic growth.

In this regard, it was proposed to expand the network of modern warehouses with the participation of major international marketplaces and to integrate digital platforms and bonded warehouses with tax and customs systems.

As a pilot initiative for 2026–2028, a new mechanism based on the "import — bonded warehouse — specialized e-commerce platform — consumer" chain was proposed. Under this model, goods will be placed in bonded warehouses and sold via electronic platforms, with customs clearance and duty payments occurring precisely at the moment of sale. These platforms and warehouses are expected to be included in special registries managed by the Customs Committee.

Implementation of bonded warehouses is expected to help domestic producers simplify entry into foreign markets, reduce pressure on working capital, lower logistics costs, and increase the competitiveness of export products.

Following the presentation, the Head of State instructed responsible agencies to accelerate efforts to transform e-commerce into a key economic driver, create modern infrastructure, and ensure transparent and favorable conditions for digital platforms.