Uzbekistan and EBRD Discuss Gross-Cost Contracts and Metro Tariff Reform

Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) — On 19 June 2026, an official working meeting was held between employees of the Department of Financial Regulation and Pricing Policy in the Spheres of Housing and Communal Services, Transport, and Communications under the Ministry of Economy and Finance of the Republic of Uzbekistan and a delegation from the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD).

The primary focus of the expert negotiations was reforming the financial model of urban passenger transport based on advanced international standards.

During the substantive discussions, the parties discussed strategic issues related to the development and practical implementation of a gross-cost contract system in the surface public transport sector, as well as a thorough modernization of the tariff methodology for metro services.

The event participants exchanged views on the experience of developed countries, analyzed key factors for improving the operational efficiency of transportation, and assessed the adaptability of foreign approaches to the current economic realities of Uzbekistan.

Special attention was given to expert recommendations. Ian Jennings, an EBRD urban transport specialist, presented a detailed report dedicated to the practical mechanisms of managing tariff policy and optimizing budget subsidies.

Following the meeting, representatives of the Ministry of Economy and Finance and the EBRD confirmed their readiness to continue close, long-term cooperation. The vector of future interaction will be aimed at the step-by-step improvement of the country's entire urban passenger transport system, the implementation of transparent payment mechanisms for transport operators, and the scaling up of joint institutional projects in the transport industry.