Uzbekistan to Clarify Rules on Outdoor Signs and Advertising

Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) — Uzbekistan’s Competition Development and Consumer Rights Protection Committee has prepared a draft resolution of the Cabinet of Ministers aimed at systematically regulating the placement of outdoor informational signs and clearly distinguishing them from advertising.

The draft defines procedures for installing, using and monitoring external inscriptions and informational structures.

According to the committee, the new rules are needed to eliminate legal gaps and ambiguous interpretations that have caused disputes in practice. The document introduces definitions for key terms, including “outdoor information medium,” “external inscription,” “information sign,” “shop sign,” “notice,” and “information board.”

Under the draft, outdoor informational media and external inscriptions must not be commercial in nature and are not classified as advertising. The placement of advertising content or materials promoting goods and services on such media would be prohibited.

The draft also defines the status of shop signs. These are described as information about the activities of retail, catering and consumer service facilities, including the name of the organization and the type of services provided. Examples include pharmacies, hair salons, gas stations, supermarkets, medical institutions and various retail outlets.

Such signs will not be considered outdoor advertising and therefore will not require an advertising site passport or related procedures. Information about an entrepreneur and their activities placed at entrances or on shop windows will also not be treated as advertising and will not require additional permits or payments.

Advertising is defined in the draft as information intended to attract attention to goods or services, generate interest and promote them on the market for profit.

The document also clarifies procedures for issuing advertising site passports for outdoor advertising structures on privately owned buildings. In Tashkent, this function is carried out by the Digital Development Department under the city administration, while in other regions it is handled by local authorities.

The Competition Committee will be responsible for monitoring advertising content. The agency said the draft was approved by the head of state as a relevant measure aimed at regulating the sector.

Public discussion of the draft will continue until 10 May, with all proposals to be reviewed and analyzed.