"Customs duties will support local manufacturers," stated the head of the Pharmaceutical Agency.

Starting April 1, Uzbekistan will implement customs duties on the import of certain pharmaceutical products. According to Abdullah Azizov, the director of the Pharmaceutical Agency, a fee of 1.2% was previously charged during customs clearance until the end of 2024; however, this was waived as part of the country's accession to the WTO. He also pointed out that the practice of imposing customs duties on medications is common in other countries as well.

https://kun.uz/ru/news/2025/01/31/tamojyennyye-poshliny-pomogut-mestnym-proizvoditelyam-glava-farmagenstva2025-01-31 08:51:47

According to the presidential decree signed on January 28, tariffs are being introduced on antibiotics, painkillers, anti-inflammatory drugs, antiviral medications, hormonal treatments, and other pharmaceuticals.

There are concerns in society that this will impact prices. However, Azizov stated that "this will not affect the market."

"Currently, in Uzbekistan, there is a 30% customs duty on certain pharmaceutical products, such as bandages. What has happened as a result? The country has completely switched to local production of bandages and other medical supplies, and they are no longer imported.

In the new decree, the duty is only applied to specific types of medications, and it is just 2%. For instance, the duty does not apply to blood products, vaccines, and immunological drugs—they remain duty-free.

Until the end of 2024, a fee of 1.2% was charged during customs clearance for all pharmaceutical products. However, in accordance with WTO requirements, any fees not used in international practice were abandoned. Instead, a standard customs tariff, similar to those in other countries, was introduced. Its rate is only 2%, so prices will not change," Azizov said.

He added that customs duties on medicines in the USA reach 6.5%, while in India, they are 10%, and this figure varies across different countries.

The introduction of the tariff will help local producers become more competitive, the head of the agency emphasized.