Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.uz) — Uzbekistan has joined the Bali Declaration of the OECD Global Forum on Transparency and Exchange of Information for Tax Purposes, becoming part of its Asia Initiative aimed at strengthening international cooperation on tax transparency.
The declaration was signed in Paris during a meeting between an Uzbek delegation and senior representatives of the Global Forum Secretariat.
The talks took place on the sidelines of the 18th plenary meeting of the OECD/G20 Inclusive Framework on Base Erosion and Profit Shifting (BEPS), held from 28 to 30 October 2026.
The Uzbek delegation was led by Farrukh Pulatov, chairman of the Tax Committee, while the Secretariat was represented by Séverine Baranger, who is responsible for risk management.
During the meeting, Global Forum representatives said they were monitoring Uzbekistan's ongoing reforms, including changes to its tax administration system, and positively assessed the country's progress.
Among the developments highlighted was Uzbekistan's accession to the Convention on Mutual Administrative Assistance in Tax Matters (MAAC), signed on 15 July 2026.
The Secretariat also noted the findings of a peer review assessing Uzbekistan's compliance with the international standard for the exchange of tax information on request. Following the assessment, the draft report received an overall rating of "Largely Compliant."
Further progress was identified in the preparation of draft legislation designed to expand information disclosure requirements under international agreements, including information on ultimate beneficial owners.
The Secretariat also welcomed Uzbekistan's risk-based approach to tax control and the high level of digitalization in its tax administration system.
By signing the Bali Declaration, Uzbekistan has formally joined the Global Forum's Asia Initiative, providing additional opportunities to study the experience of tax administrations in Japan, the Republic of Korea, Singapore, China, Hong Kong, Malaysia, Indonesia and India.
Following the meeting, both sides agreed to continue their cooperation. The Secretariat confirmed its readiness to provide technical assistance to Uzbekistan as it prepares to implement the international standard for the automatic exchange of tax information.
The Secretariat also expressed its willingness to support professional training for Uzbek tax specialists.
The discussions separately addressed the potential use of artificial intelligence to analyze tax risks.
In addition, Global Forum representatives proposed organizing regional events in Uzbekistan to facilitate the exchange of experience and the dissemination of best practices among interested countries.
