Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) — On November 8, Uzbekistan’s Cabinet of Ministers approved a regulation aimed at supporting national brands and partners of international brands.

According to a presidential decree from August, companies that own national brands or partner with well-known global brands will receive subsidies from the Trade Support Fund.

National brands will be selected among companies with registered trademarks that have a high or medium (not below B) sustainability rating in various economic sectors, including textiles, chemicals, pharmaceuticals, automotive, and metallurgy. Selection will be based on public surveys, consulting firm studies, and media and social media publications.

To gain the status of an international brand partner, a company must have a direct contract with the brand owner, registered in a registry that will be published on a dedicated platform. The registry will be based on data from the top 500 companies as identified by reputable international organizations.

Owners of national brands will be eligible for compensation of up to 50% of expenses for international standard implementation and certification (up to $10,000), product registration abroad (up to $5,000 per year), entry into international marketplaces and online advertising (up to $5,000 per year), rental of premises for overseas trading houses (up to $2,000 per month), as well as participation in international exhibitions and business process automation.

For international brand partners, the program provides compensation for expenses related to standardization (up to $20,000), environmental certification, and employee training abroad. Companies manufacturing products under foreign brands may receive grants of up to $1 million.

Applications for subsidies will be accepted via a special platform. Applicants must submit supporting documents, including contracts, invoices, payment orders, and photos and videos from exhibitions. The Trade Development Company is required to review applications within 7 business days and notify applicants of its decision.

If approved, a processing fee of 1 size of basic estimated value will be charged, and the subsidy will be transferred to the applicant's bank account within 5 business days.