President Shavkat Mirziyoyev signed a decree on November 26 on the establishment of the Enterprise Uzbekistan International Digital Technology Center. The new territory will receive its own special legal regime based on the norms and principles of English common law or the standards of leading international financial centers.
Initially, the center was established in February 2024 on the territory of IT Park. From June, it was planned to introduce an experimental special regime for foreign companies for a period of up to five years. The new decree establishes Enterprise Uzbekistan as a separate jurisdiction with a special legal procedure allowing companies to operate under rules similar to those in the Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC) and Astana International Financial Centre (AIFC).
In the hub, IT companies will be able to operate in conditions close to global technology and financial centers. English law is one of the most common legal bases for international transactions, and investors traditionally trust it more than the national jurisdictions of developing countries.
The center will be managed by a special council headed by the president. It will include Prime Minister Abdulla Aripov and other government officials. Residents of Enterprise Uzbekistan will be able to work in the areas of software development, consulting, outstaffing and outsourcing, scientific research, creation of video games and digital content, implementation of artificial intelligence technologies, data center and cloud service management, as well as engage in educational projects in the field of digital technologies.
Financial services for resident companies will be regulated by the Central Bank - in terms of banking operations and currency control, and by the National Agency for Perspective Projects - in the field of insurance and securities market. A specialized tax inspectorate is being created to serve the participants, operating on the principle of a \"single window\" and providing services in English.
The decree provides for the possibility of resolving disputes between residents and other entrepreneurs through an independent specialized court based on the procedure chosen by the parties without resorting to the judicial system of Uzbekistan. Companies that are not residents will be able to operate on the territory of the center and provide financial, legal, investment and consulting services, but without the benefits provided for participants.
The Cabinet of Ministers has been instructed to prepare a draft constitutional law \"On the International Center for Digital Technologies\". The idea of creating a separate legal regime for IT companies has been discussed since December 2023, when proposals were considered to introduce English law on the territory of IT Park, prevent double taxation and extend benefits until 2040. In February 2024, the president signed a decree on the establishment of the center, and in July IT Park signed an agreement with EY Uzbekistan to develop a regulatory sandbox model.
