Uzbekistan orders comprehensive overhaul of Administrative Liability Code by April 2027
Presidential Decree No. 30, signed on 7 May 2026, orders the drafting of a fully new Administrative Liability Code as part of Uzbekistan's broader legal modernisation agenda under the "Uzbekistan 2030" strategy. The Ministry of Justice must submit the draft to the Presidential Administration by 1 April 2027, following interagency coordination and public consultation.
What has changed and why it matters
The current Administrative Liability Code dates back to the Soviet era and has accumulated layers of amendments over decades, creating inconsistencies, disproportionate sanctions, and limited procedural protections. Decree No. 30 acknowledges these shortcomings directly and mandates a clean-slate rewrite rather than further piecemeal amendment.
New institutional structure
Two bodies have been created to lead the reform. An Interagency Commission, chaired by the Head of the Legal Expertise and Comprehensive Analysis Department of the Presidential Administration, will provide overall oversight and coordination. A Working Group, led by the First Deputy Minister of Justice, will handle the actual drafting of the new Code. The Ministry of Justice serves as the working body of the Commission and is responsible for day-to-day coordination.
Reform priorities
The decree sets out the following priorities for the new Code:
- Systematising and unifying existing administrative liability norms currently scattered across multiple instruments
- Reviewing and updating the list of administrative offences to reflect current economic and social realities
- Improving the proportionality of sanctions
- Expanding judicial oversight of administrative cases
- Strengthening procedural protections for individuals and legal entities
- Introducing compensation mechanisms for moral damages caused to victims of administrative violations
What this means for your business
The Administrative Liability Code is not a peripheral piece of legislation. It is the primary instrument through which the state enforces compliance and imposes penalties on businesses. Every sector is touched by it. The current code is one of the main sources of legal uncertainty for international companies: inspectors have wide discretion, sanctions are often disproportionate, and procedural rights for businesses are limited. A rewritten code that genuinely delivers on proportionality and judicial oversight would materially improve the operating environment.
The priorities set out in the decree are broadly positive, but the real substance will emerge in the Working Group's drafts: which conduct is classified as an administrative offence, what penalty ranges apply, and how much discretion inspectors retain. Companies should identify now which offence categories are most relevant to their operations and be ready to engage during the public consultation window. That window will be narrow, and influence is far easier to exercise during drafting than after enactment.
Get in touch to discuss what these changes mean for your operations.