Uzbekistan will stop the import and export of ozone-depleting products

By the Resolution of the Cabinet of Ministers of Uzbekistan No.126 dated March 9, 2021 approved a National Programme (hereinafter – the “Programme”) to eliminate the use of ozone-depleting substances (ODS). It prohibits the import and export of ODS, which also contain ozone-depleting elements.

Uzbekistan had phased out the use of ozone-depleting substances. In 2000-2018, six projects worth USD 9.9 million had been implemented. From 2005 to 2019, the use of ODS decreased significantly to 884 tonnes and 33 tonnes respectively. The State plans to introduce effective technologies and projects for a total of USD 8.6 million 2019-2024 to phase out ODS turnover entirely.

The Programme also approved the Road Map for the implementation of the Programme. The Road Map distributed the commitments and adopted the time frames for the tasks to be carried out. The document also provides:

• establishment of strict controls on the allocation of import and export quotas for ODS;
• granting of permits for the import and export of ODS in a single portal of interactive State services, State Services centres, and at the Single Window of the Customs Information System;
• phase-out of CFC-12, carbon tetrachloride and 1.1.1 - trichloroethane;
• establishment of 6 new ODS processing centres and upgrading of the existing 6;
• establishment of 3 training centres for the refrigeration industry;
• establishment of a single ODS import and export database.

With the introduction of new regulations governing the use of ODS, the list of types of ozone-depleting substances specified in the Resolution of the Cabinet of Ministers No.17 dated January 9, 2018 was reduced.

It should also be noted that this document enters into force on June 11, 2021.