Why is this important
Popularizing cashless payments and increasing income transparency is a key tool for reducing the shadow sector of the economy, which remains a serious challenge to sustainable development. The decree establishes technological and legal mechanisms that, for the first time in Uzbekistan, form the practice of voluntary and digital declaration of citizens’ annual income. The pilot project will test how well the system can operate without overloading the population and will become the basis for the possible phased distribution of declarations in the future.
What happened
- Shavkat Mirziyoyev issued a decree, according to which it is proposed to introduce an experiment with the submission of citizens’ declarations of aggregate annual income, which will begin from March 1, 2026.
- The task was set to submit this project to the Cabinet of Ministers within two months — by the middle of February.
Numbers and facts
- The pilot project for submitting declarations will begin on March 1, 2026, which sets a specific date for the start of the experiment with a simplified reporting system.
- Declarations will be submitted by tax officials and individuals registered in Navoi and Chirchik cities, which determines the geography and circle of project participants.
- Participants’ expenses will be determined based on fiscal receipts and electronic invoices registered in the Soliq system, creating a digital base for calculating the tax burden.
- The draft resolution on the introduction of the experimental system should be submitted to the Cabinet of Ministers within two months, that is, by the middle of February, which sets clear deadlines for preparing the regulatory framework.
Context
- The Decree effectively launches a preparatory phase for a possible future transition to broader public income declaration, testing the convenience and correctness of digital tools.
- The pilot project will show how ready citizens are to independently input data on income and expenses, and how well government systems are capable of correctly processing large amounts of financial information.
- The introduction of cashback for housing purchases can increase interest in official transactions in the primary market and reduce the volume of transactions conducted without reflection in reports.
