Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) — The Legislative Chamber of the Oliy Majlis has passed, in its second reading, a draft law aimed at simplifying the registration procedures for intellectual property (IP) objects.

The initiative is part of Uzbekistan’s ongoing large-scale reforms designed to raise public and business awareness of intellectual property rights, eliminate excessive bureaucratic requirements, and improve administrative procedures related to IP registration.

One of the key provisions of the draft law is the elimination of the requirement to submit proof of payment of the state fee when registering industrial property objects, thereby simplifying the application process.

The draft also introduces a 10-day period for verifying the completeness and compliance of applications and documents submitted for the registration of software and databases.

A significant innovation is the automatic issuance of protection documents in electronic format, each with a unique QR code. This measure is expected to increase transparency and accessibility in the registration process.

Additionally, the law proposes reducing the timeframe for examining designations submitted as geographical indications or rights to use such names—from seven months to one month. In cases where state registration fees are not paid within the established three-month period, the draft allows for an extension of up to six months, subject to an additional payment of 50% of the patent fee.

During the preparation of the draft for the second reading, proposals from parliamentary factions and individual deputies were thoroughly reviewed by a dedicated working group. As a result, the content of the bill was significantly improved.

According to lawmakers, the adoption of this law will contribute to the formation of an efficient intellectual property system that promotes economic growth and innovation. It will also help create more favorable conditions for authors and rights holders by strengthening the legal protection of their intellectual creations.

The draft law was approved by the deputies.