Uzbekistan adopts the Law “On Electronic Commerce” in a new edition

The President of the Republic of Uzbekistan signed the Law “On Electronic Commerce” No. ЗРУ-792 dated September 29, 2022 (the “Law on Electronic Commerce”).

The authorized state body in the field of e-commerce is the Ministry for the Development of Information Technologies and Communications of the Republic of Uzbekistan.

In accordance with the Law on Electronic Commerce, participants in electronic commerce are legal entities or individuals participating in electronic commerce as a seller of goods, service provider or performer of works, as well as legal or natural persons participating in electronic commerce as a buyer, consumer of goods (works , services).

At the same time, sellers in the field of e-commerce are:

• legal entities and individual entrepreneurs engaged in the wholesale and (or) retail sale of goods (works, services) on an electronic trading platform;
• self-employed persons engaged in retail sales of goods (works, services) on an electronic trading platform.

Moreover, the Law on Electronic Commerce establishes the procedure for concluding a contract. Thus, the contract can be concluded by making an acceptance:

• in the form of an electronic document providing confirmation by an electronic digital signature;
• in the form of an electronic message, which expresses the consent of the participant of electronic commerce;
• taking actions to fulfill the conditions specified in the offer.

The Law on Electronic Commerce in a new edition also establishes the conditions for making payments and the specifics of the delivery of goods, the replacement of goods with defects and (or) the elimination of defects in the goods, as well as the return to the buyer of the paid funds in the field of electronic commerce.

It should be noted that this law does not apply to the scope of public procurement of goods (works, services) carried out in accordance with the legislation on public procurement, as well as transactions made on exchanges that have licenses for exchange activities.

The Law on Electronic Commerce will enter into force on December 31, 2022.