Reducing state involvement in the economy and creating a healthy competitive environment are important factors for accelerated and sustainable development in all areas of public and state life.

The Anti-Monopoly Committee, established in 2019, has carried out a series of large-scale activities that have made a significant contribution to strengthening the economic foundations of the “New Uzbekistan.” In the “Uzbekistan – 2030” Strategy, one of the priority tasks is the formation of an effective competitive environment in various sectors of the economy, as well as the gradual reduction of the level of monopoly in the market for goods and services.

In accordance with the relevant presidential decree, the functioning of the Anti-Monopoly Committee as an independent state body has become an important step toward achieving the established objectives and goals. Furthermore, the Law of the Republic of Uzbekistan “On Competition,” adopted in 2023, serves as an important regulatory and legal framework for governing relations in this field.

The Center for State Environmental Expertise under the Ministry of Ecology, Environmental Protection and Climate Change has also carried out extensive work to establish organizational and legal foundations for regulating environmental expertise based on advanced international requirements. The Law “On Environmental Expertise,” adopted almost a quarter of a century ago, was revised in line with international standards and adopted in a new edition under the title “On Environmental Expertise, Environmental Impact Assessment and Strategic Environmental Assessment.”

The updated law defines clear mechanisms aimed at creating a reliable, transparent, and guaranteed environmental assessment system for entrepreneurs and foreign investors. International requirements for servicing business entities were successfully integrated into national legislation based on the recommendations of the World Bank, UN programs, UNECE, and OSCE.

Under the provisions of the law, the sector is being fully digitalized, ensuring openness and transparency of all environmental expertise processes. Today, the submission of project documentation and the issuance of conclusions of the state environmental expertise are carried out entirely through the unified information system eco-service.uz. This minimizes human factor involvement, eliminates excessive bureaucratic barriers, and prevents corruption risks.

Systematic preventive measures conducted by the Center’s Internal Control Service have led to a situation where, in recent years, no violations of environmental expertise legislation have been detected among employees, which indicates a rise in professional and ethical responsibility.

All participants in the environmental expertise process — clients, designers, and environmental experts — have been clearly assigned rights and obligations. In 2024, state environmental expertise bodies issued about 32,000 conclusions, of which more than 700 were rejected due to non-compliance with environmental requirements. These figures highlight the need to improve the qualifications of designers, strengthen their responsibility, and develop higher-quality project documentation.

Currently, around 400 design organizations operate in the country, employing approximately 2,000 design specialists. Under the law, a rating system is being introduced for such organizations, and designers are required to hold a special qualification certificate. Environmental experts are also subject to mandatory certification by the authorized body.

To further ensure transparency in environmental expertise processes, an automated information system based on the principles of “Electronic Government” is being introduced. This mechanism enables entrepreneurs to submit materials and receive conclusions online.

The official website of the Center features an anti-corruption section, a Call Center, a short “Hotline” number, as well as Telegram bots for prompt interaction with the public. An Expert Council and additional feedback channels have been established to enhance entrepreneurs’ awareness and ensure prompt review of their requests.

Studying international experience and expanding cooperation are important conditions for developing a competitive environment. To date, the Center has established cooperation with approximately 10 countries and international organizations. In addition, mutually beneficial partnerships with environmental agencies of several countries are being implemented within the framework of signed memorandums.