Foreign investors have reported that there is a lack of transparency in bureaucratic procedures for public procurement.

Uzbekistan is not a party to the World Trade Organization (WTO) Government Procurement Agreement (GPA). In fact, the country is not a member of the WTO.

Foreign operators are reportedly not permitted to own or operate an international gateway. Therefore, ownership and operation of international gateways are monopolised by Uzbektelecom, a state-controlled entity.

Art. 46 of Law No. LRU-598 stipulates that legislation may impose restrictions or prohibitions on foreign investment in specific areas of the economy to safeguard public health, flora and fauna, the environment, and national security interests. Reports indicate that the government may conduct screening of foreign investments, particularly in strategic sectors such as telecommunications; however, the screening process lacks transparency.

According to Art. 6 of Decree No. 5495, the minimum size of the authorised capital of companies with foreign investment is UZS 400 million (approx. 33.000 USD), while it was previously UZS 600 million (approx. 48.500 USD).

In accordance with Art. 35 of the Law No. 397-II, natural persons permanently residing outside the Republic of Uzbekistan or foreign legal entities can only apply for patents of industrial property objects through patent attorneys registered with the Agency for Intellectual Property under the Ministry of Justice of the Republic of Uzbekistan. Also, it is reported that an application should be filed in Uzbek or Russian language. If the application is filed in any other foreign language, the translation into Uzbek or Russian thereof should be provided within two months from the date of filing.

In accordance with Art. 35 of Law No. 397-II, natural persons permanently residing outside the Republic of Uzbekistan or foreign legal entities shall perform legally significant actions in connection with patents through patent attorneys registered with the Agency for Intellectual Property under the Ministry of Justice of the Republic of Uzbekistan. Moreover, it is reported that while Uzbekistan’s legal framework for patent protection is generally sufficient, enforcement remains one of the biggest challenges.

Uzbekistan is not a signatory of the 1996 World Trade Organization (WTO) Information Technology Agreement (ITA) nor the 2015 expansion (ITA II). In fact, the country is not a member of the WTO.

Annex 2 of Resolution of the Cabinet of Ministers No. 41 bans the import of 529 categories of goods and certain services through public procurement processes. The list currently includes household electrical appliances.

In accordance with Art. 9 of the Technical Instructions: Registration of Names under the ".UY" Domain, the applicant for a domain name registration must communicate the registered address of the holder(s) and the address in Uruguay for contractual and extra-contractual purposes of these instructions.

The Consumer Relations and Consumer Defence Law provides a comprehensive consumer protection framework that applies to online transactions. The law covers competition, product and user safety, environmental concerns, and financial regulations.

Uruguay has not signed the United Nations (UN) Convention on the Use of Electronic Communications in International Contracts.

Uruguay has not adopted national legislation based on or influenced by the United Nations Commission on International Trade Law (UNCITRAL) Model Law on Electronic Commerce.

Uruguay has not adopted national legislation based on or influenced by the United Nations Commission on International Trade Law (UNCITRAL) Model Law on Electronic Signatures.