Uzbekistan remains on the Watch List in U.S. Trade Representative’s (USTR) Special 301 Report on Intellectual Property protection in 2023.  USTR’s report on Uzbekistan (p.88) is as follows:

“Uzbekistan remains on the Watch List in 2023. In recent years, Uzbekistan has taken important steps to address certain long-standing issues pertaining to intellectual property (IP) protection and enforcement. In particular, accession in 2019 to the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) Performances and Phonograms Treaty (WPPT) and WIPO Copyright Treaty (WCT), collectively known as the WIPO Internet Treaties, represents progress toward improving the copyright regime in Uzbekistan. The United States also recognizes the continued high-level political attention to IP, including Uzbekistan’s support for and participation in the Intellectual Property Working Group under the United States-Central Asia Trade and Investment Framework Agreement (TIFA); the establishment of regional IP Protection Centers; and plans, as announced in the National Strategy for the Development of IP in April 2022, to ensure Uzbekistan’s IP regime meets its international obligations. Although Uzbekistan took steps in 2022 toward providing ex officio authority for border enforcement, Uzbekistan needs to take further steps to provide full ex officio authority. In addition, several concerns raised in the 2022 Special 301 Report remain unaddressed. The United States encourages Uzbekistan to continue improving its copyright statutory framework, including through providing adequate protection for foreign sound recordings and implementing the WIPO Internet Treaties. Also, Uzbekistan needs to make progress to address other long-standing concerns, including by mandating government use of licensed software via presidential decree, law, or regulation.”

In any foreign market companies should consider several general principles for effective protection of their intellectual property. For background, link to our article on Protecting Intellectual Property and Stopfakes.gov for more resources or contact ITA’s Office of Intellectual Property Rights Director, Stevan Mitchell at Stevan.Mitchell@trade.gov.

The U.S. Department of Commerce has positioned IP attachés in key markets around the world. The contact e-mail address of IP attaché covering Uzbekistan is dorian.mazurkevich@trade.gov.

https://www.state.gov/reports/2023-investment-climate-statements/uzbekistan/

To access the Uzbekistan Investment Climate Statement, which includes information on the protection and enforcement of intellectual property rights, visit the U.S. Department of State Investment Climate Statement website.