Uzbek newspaper 'Pravda Vostoka'
November 27

Resolution by the Cabinet of Ministers of the Republic of Uzbekistan on measures to improve the registration and pursuit of trading activities by corporate bodies and private individuals

In order to standardize the requirements for corporate bodies and private individuals during registration and in pursuance of their trading activities, and to increase trading firms' economic and property liabilities in trading operations, the Cabinet of Ministers resolves that:

1. A procedure shall be established from 1 December 2002 onwards whereby corporate bodies engaged in wholesale trading shall have sufficient authorized capital and other assets to cover their economic and property liabilities for the trading operations in which they are engaged.

Accordingly, it should be stipulated that permits to carry out wholesale operations shall be issued to corporate bodies that, at the time of registration, have an appropriate material and technical base (their own warehouses and equipment) and authorized capital that is not less than 6,000-times the minimum wage; these assets should comprise money that amounts to at least 2,000-times the minimum wage. 2. It is to be established that private individuals who are duly registered as sole traders and who have been issued with permits for engaging in retail business and conducting import-export operations may engage in retail trading in imported consumer goods at commodity i.e. non-food markets, provided that they have a customs freight declaration made out in "for unconditional release" terms, certificates of conformity and documents confirming the payment of all customs and other obligatory duties.

The importing of consumer goods and their customs clearance shall be conducted by the private individual (the sole trader) himself.

Sole traders engaged in retail trading are obliged to record earnings and commodity operations in keeping with the established procedure.

The Ministry of Finance, the Ministry of Macroeconomics and Statistics, and the State Tax Committee of the Republic of Uzbekistan shall, within ten days, draw up, and duly approve, a procedure for recording earnings and commodity operations by private individuals engaged in trade.

3. The regulations on the procedure for registering and carrying out wholesale and retail trading activities are to be approved.

4. Urban and district administrations are forbidden to issue permits to sell alcoholic beverages to shops that are sited close to children's, educational and medical institutions.

5. Before 1 January 2002, the Council of Ministers of the Republic of Karakalpakstan, and regional, urban and district administrations shall ensure the re-registration of corporate bodies and private individuals engaged in trading activities, review their documents and re-issue the permits for conducting business in strict conformity with the requirements of the present resolution.

6. The Ministry of Justice of the Republic of Uzbekistan shall, in conjunction with the ministries and departments concerned and within 10 days, submit proposals to the Cabinet of Ministers on amendments and additions to current legislation that stem from this resolution.

7. Deputy Prime Ministers U. Ismoilov and M. Usmonov shall oversee the implementation of this resolution.

Islam Karimov, chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers

Tashkent, 26 November 2002.

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