Proposals for reducing the shadow economy were considered
Uzbekistan
Uzbekistan plans to significantly reduce the share of its shadow economy, which currently stands at around 35%. President Shavkat Mirziyoyev emphasized that this goal cannot be achieved by control alone — it requires creating favorable conditions for doing honest business.
In recent years, the number of taxes was reduced from 13 to 9, and over 100 types of licenses and permits were abolished. As a result, the shadow economy’s share has dropped from 45–50% in 2019 to the current 35%.
The new strategy focuses on digitalization, simplifying business processes, and eliminating factors that enable corruption. An example is the automation of payment systems in Tashkent’s public transport, which revealed that the actual number of passengers is 30% higher than previous estimates. Digitalization has also tripled revenues at farmers’ and goods markets.
Similar systems will be introduced in agriculture, construction, transport, trade, and services — sectors with the largest shadow economy share. The licensing and permitting process will be revised to minimize human involvement and fully move to an electronic format.
Developing electronic payments, promoting cashless transactions, and increasing the number of payment providers are among the top priorities. The president stressed the need to improve tax culture and reward those who operate transparently.
An individual approach will be applied to each sector, ensuring that legal business becomes the most profitable option. Mirziyoyev highlighted that the honesty traditionally valued by the Uzbek people ultimately leads to prosperity, calling for active promotion of these values in society.
The new strategy focuses on digitalization, simplifying business processes, and eliminating factors that enable corruption. An example is the automation of payment systems in Tashkent’s public transport, which revealed that the actual number of passengers is 30% higher than previous estimates. Digitalization has also tripled revenues at farmers’ and goods markets.
Similar systems will be introduced in agriculture, construction, transport, trade, and services — sectors with the largest shadow economy share. The licensing and permitting process will be revised to minimize human involvement and fully move to an electronic format.
Developing electronic payments, promoting cashless transactions, and increasing the number of payment providers are among the top priorities. The president stressed the need to improve tax culture and reward those who operate transparently.
An individual approach will be applied to each sector, ensuring that legal business becomes the most profitable option. Mirziyoyev highlighted that the honesty traditionally valued by the Uzbek people ultimately leads to prosperity, calling for active promotion of these values in society.
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