Uzbekistan will eliminate VAT on freight forwarding services to boost the share of local companies to 50%.

Uzbekistan, Tashkent – According to AN Podrobno.uz, President Shavkat Mirziyoyev has reviewed plans for the further development of the country's transport and logistics system. Special attention was given to supporting local carriers, including freight forwarding companies, and increasing their share in international cargo transportation, reports a Podrobno.uz correspondent.

https://podrobno.uz/cat/economic/v-uzbekistane-otmenyat-nds-na-uslugi-ekspeditorov-dlya-uvelicheniya-doli-mestnykh-kompaniy-do-50-/2025-01-13 08:12:35

Over the past seven years, the number of freight trucks in Uzbekistan has increased sevenfold, reaching 26,000, while the share of domestic carriers in international freight transportation has risen from 35% to 60%. However, the current geopolitical situation complicates matters: delivery times to the west have doubled, and costs have risen by 1.5 times. Issues arise from closed border checkpoints in European countries and queues at the operating crossings.

To address these challenges, as the president emphasized, it is essential to diversify external trade routes and simplify cargo transit through countries located along alternative paths. It was noted that there is also a need to review and eliminate border fees based on mutual agreements.

To support domestic freight forwarders in international transportation, the value-added tax on their services will be abolished. This will enable local companies to increase their market share in freight forwarding services to 45-50%.

By implementing these measures, the president has set a goal to double the volume of international freight transport and increase the export of transport services to $3 billion.

Additionally, another key objective is to enhance Uzbekistan's transit potential, which will help attract additional investments and strengthen economic ties.

In this regard, special attention will be given to accelerating cargo processing at the border, reducing transit times to 20 minutes, implementing an electronic queue system, and ensuring online monitoring of vehicles. All these measures aim to strengthen Uzbekistan's position in the international logistics sector and improve its World Bank logistics index.

It is worth noting that in Uzbekistan, individuals have been allowed to provide taxi services as self-employed on a permanent basis.