Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) — Starting from 1 April 2024, Uzbekistan will introduce customs duties on the import of a range of pharmaceutical products.

As reported by the Director of the Pharmaceutical Agency, Abdulla Azizov, according to the presidential decree signed on 28 January, the duties will apply to antibiotics, painkillers, anti-inflammatory, antiviral, hormonal, and other drugs.

There have been concerns in society that this might impact the prices of medicines. However, Azizov reassures that "the market will not be affected."

He provided an example of bandages, for which a 30% duty was introduced in Uzbekistan. This led to the country shifting to local production of bandages and other medical products, reducing the import of these items, as reported by Kun.uz.

The new decree imposes a duty on only certain types of medicines, with the rate set at 2%. For example, blood products, vaccines, and immunological drugs will not be subject to the duty, and their rate remains zero.

Until the end of 2024, a fee of 1.2% was charged for the customs clearance of pharmaceutical goods, but in line with World Trade Organization (WTO) requirements, this fee has been abolished. It has been replaced with a standard 2% duty, similar to other countries, which, according to Azizov, will not result in a price change.

He also noted that in the United States, the duty on medicines can reach 6.5%, and in India — 10%, with this rate varying in different countries. According to him, the introduction of a duty on medicines will help local producers become more competitive.