Uzbekistan has adopted a comprehensive reform package aimed at accelerating modernization of the national technical regulation system in line with advanced international practice.

The reform restructures the national quality infrastructure, introduces risk-based market surveillance, transitions to international standards, strengthens accreditation independence, modernizes metrology, and embeds quality management principles across public administration and industry.

The measures signal a systemic transformation of Uzbekistan’s regulatory environment and industrial governance model.

Strategic Reform Directions

 

The document defines several priority reform areas:

• abolition of the ineffective legacy control model and introduction of market surveillance practices;
• full transition to the application of international standards in industry;
• elimination of conflicts of interest within the national quality infrastructure;
• large-scale implementation of industrial metrology, verification and calibration systems;
• development of a nationwide “quality culture” across business and consumer sectors.

For 2026, key performance targets include:

• improving Uzbekistan’s position in the Quality Infrastructure for Sustainable Development Index by at least 20 positions;
• increasing 2.5 times the number of calibration capabilities recognized by the International Bureau of Weights and Measures (BIPM);
• ensuring that at least 80% of accreditation services are internationally recognized.

Introduction of Market Surveillance System

 

In line with international practice, Uzbekistan will transition from a pre-control certification model to a market surveillance approach.

Key measures include:

• From 1 January 2027, products subject to technical regulations will be marked with a new national conformity mark “Conformity Uzbekistan”.
• Compliance assessment will be conducted using a risk-based approach.
• Products covered by technical regulations will be excluded from the list of goods subject to mandatory conformity assessment under previous mechanisms.

This marks a significant structural shift from administrative certification toward post-market supervision aligned with EU-style regulatory practice.

Business Environment Liberalization

 

From 1 April 2026, significant relief measures are introduced for conformity assessment bodies:

• accreditation service deductions are reduced 2.5 times (now 2%);
• state bodies are prohibited from creating competing laboratories or certification bodies where at least two accredited private entities already operate;
• businesses may independently choose training programs and educational institutions for specialist qualification upgrades;
• conformity assessment bodies may conduct export-oriented conformity work under foreign standards, subject to accreditation within the National Accreditation System.

These changes aim to stimulate private sector participation and reduce administrative barriers.

Quality Management Institutionalization

 

From 1 April 2026:

• one of the deputy heads of specified state bodies and enterprises will assume the function of quality manager responsible for coordination in technical regulation, standardization, and metrology;
• KPI evaluations of district and city khokim assistants will include indicators related to the implementation of international standards and management systems at enterprises.

This embeds quality management responsibilities directly into governance structures.

Reform of Standards and Technical Regulations

 

Major structural changes include:

• From 1 May 2026, standards of any level will become voluntary, introducing international practice of voluntary standard application.
• From 1 January 2027, adoption of technical regulations will require prior regulatory impact assessment (RIA), including assessment of impact on industry, entrepreneurship, and product safety.
• Artificial intelligence tools will be applied in conducting impact assessments.

This significantly modernizes regulatory development methodology.

Full Transition to International Standards by Sector

 

Production and service delivery in the following sectors will shift entirely to international standards:

From 1 July 2026:

• textile and leather production,
• furniture manufacturing,
• electrical engineering,
• automotive industry,
• information technologies.

From 1 January 2027:

• oil and gas,
• metallurgy,
• transport,
• construction materials,
• medical device manufacturing.

From 1 January 2028:

• energy,
• chemical industry,
• environmental services,
• services sector.

The staged transition provides sectoral predictability for businesses.

Metrology Reform

 

From 1 January 2027:

• verification systems will replace the traditional calibration comparison practice;
• industrial measuring instruments affecting product quality will shift to calibration;
• certification of reference materials will be abolished;
• calibration capabilities recognized by BIPM will be exempt from national accreditation requirements.

A list of high-precision measurement standards to be procured in 2026 has also been approved.

This aligns national metrology practices with international measurement traceability frameworks.

Accreditation System Reform

 

To ensure independence and impartiality:

• the Uzbek Agency for Technical Regulation will cease its accreditation authority;
• legislation mandating compulsory accreditation by specific bodies will be prohibited.

From 1 September 2026:

• testing protocols of accredited laboratories (except internal production testing) must be registered in the “e-akkreditatsiya” information system;
• the accreditation body will receive full access to the National Technical Regulation Information System.

This separation of functions reduces institutional conflict of interest.

Human Capital Development

 

Technical regulation fields receive strategic educational prioritization:

• scholarship quotas under the “El-yurt umidi” Foundation will prioritize technical regulation;
• from the 2026/2027 academic year, special scholarships will be introduced for students in standardization, metrology, and conformity assessment;
• EU-model academic hours on technical regulation will be incorporated;
• joint “2+2” educational programs with foreign universities will be launched.

This supports long-term institutional capacity building.

Business and Investment Implications

 

The decree signals a decisive shift toward:

• international conformity practices,
• regulatory predictability,
• export compatibility,
• risk-based market supervision,
• reduced state interference in conformity services,
• strengthened quality infrastructure.

For exporters, manufacturers, certification bodies, and foreign investors, the reforms significantly improve regulatory alignment with global trade frameworks.

Conclusion

 

Presidential Decree represents one of the most comprehensive reforms of Uzbekistan’s technical regulation system in recent years. By restructuring accreditation, introducing risk-based market surveillance, making standards voluntary, and aligning metrology and conformity assessment with international practice, Uzbekistan is positioning its quality infrastructure for deeper integration into global markets.