Uzbekistan is creating a system of public services without bureaucracy and corruption

According to the research of the World Bank, it was noted that in Uzbekistan, heads of large enterprises and small enterprises spend 31% and 26% of their time respectively, solving bureaucratic issues, entering into relations with state bodies and hokims. However, this time could be spent more effectively, for example, on increasing the volume of production, improving work efficiency and increasing the income of enterprises. This article offers more comprehensive strategies for promoting the public service system in accordance with local laws.

According to experts, the cost of complying with bureaucratic rules around the world is 17-20% of the world GDP. In particular, 17 percent of GDP in the USA, that is, 3 trillion. is a dollar. Administrative procedures, public service delivery processes, and the relationship between the state and its citizens in general are areas that can cause potential corruption.

Corruption significantly impacts both the quantity and quality of public services, profoundly affecting human development outcomes and the well-being of citizens. Recent research indicates that corrupt practices in service delivery contribute to increased poverty rates, poorer human development indicators, higher mortality rates including child mortality, elevated school drop-out rates, reduced trust in governments, and heightened civil unrest. Additionally, corruption has been found to severely damage the natural environment, potentially leading to food and water insecurity, as well as mismanagement of vital resources.

This factor is taken into account in the reforms and adopted legislation on the fight against corruption in Uzbekistan, hence serious attention is paid to minimizing corruption risks and reducing the human factor.

Uzbekistan’s Anti-Corruption and Anti-Bureaucracy Reforms

Article 22 of the Law of the Republic of Uzbekistan “On Combating Corruption” provides for ensuring the principles of legality and fairness, creating guarantees of the impartiality of the administrative-management process, increasing the transparency of this process, openness to external and internal control. It also provides detailed regulation of administrative procedures while limiting discretionary powers, avoiding bureaucratic formality; introduction of simplified administrative procedures, establishment of effective mechanisms for appeals against the decisions of state bodies and compensation for damages is defined as a measure to prevent corruption in the field of administrative procedures.

The following facts and figures show what has been done to prevent bureaucracy, reduce redundant and outdated procedures, and simplify the provision of public services.

The Law “On Administrative Procedures” was adopted on administrative relations between the state and population as well business. This law established important principles applicable in administrative and legal activities, including the openness, transparency and comprehensibility of administrative procedures, the inadmissibility of bureaucratic formalities, the implementation of administrative proceedings through a “one-stop shop”, and the protection of trust. For example, according to the principle of inadmissibility of bureaucratic formalism, it is prohibited for state organizations to create difficulties in their relations with citizens and businessmen through obligations, to refuse to grant them rights only for the purpose of compliance with official rules and requirements, or to restrict their rights in other ways. We can call this law an anti-bureaucracy law in essence. 

Reforming Uzbekistan’s Licensing and Permitting System to Combat Bureaucracy

The licensing and permitting system, which was considered a highly bureaucratic field, was completely reformed. As a result of the reform in this area: 

1) The Law “On Licensing, Permitting and Notification Procedures” and the Decree of the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan on August 24, 2020 “On Measures to Fundamentally Improve Licensing and Permitting Procedures” aimed at fundamentally improving licensing and permitting procedures was accepted. With this law, obsolete and fragmented existing legal documents were unified and all existing laws and by-laws in this field were canceled. In particular, 2 Laws, 2 decisions of the Oliy Majlis, 2 decisions of the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan, and about 100 Government decisions related to this field have been declared invalid.

2) There was a 32% reduction in the number of licenses and permits. In particular, 72 licensable activities and 40 permits were canceled and transferred to an alternative method of regulation.

As a result, the final lists of 49 licenses, 123 authorization documents and 37 notifications were approved by the Law.

3) A completely new simplified mechanism related to the implementation of activities by notifying the authorized body, which did not exist until now was also introduced;

4) Licensing, authorization and notification procedures are carried out through the “License” information system (license.gov.uz). Applications for obtaining licenses and authorization documents are accepted through the Internet or a special mobile application using “A single interactive portal of public services”. In this case, obtaining additional documents from other authorized bodies or agreeing with them is carried out by the main authorized body independently through the “License” information system without the participation of the business entity, including by connecting to an integrated platform that allows receiving direct information that does not require a response.

About 290,000 permitting documents, including electronic licenses, permits, notices, have been created through this system.

Advancing Public Service Delivery in Uzbekistan: Quality, Efficiency, and Accessibility

The national system of providing public services to the population has been raised to a new level in terms of quality. In the field of public services, the priority is to implement the idea that “government agencies should serve our people, not people serving our government bodies” by radically increasing their quality, speed, transparency, and accessibility. In 2018, state service centers were established in 208 districts and cities of the republic. According to the principle “documents move, not citizens”, a mechanism for providing public services was introduced.

1) In 2018, the number of services provided through public service centers was 37, and today this number is 360. 

2) Every day, on average, 95-100 thousand of our citizens visit public service centers and use their services.

About 59 million public services have been provided by the PSCs so far. During 2023, more than 13.2 million public services were provided. The number of documents required for the provision of public services was reduced from 255 to 129 (51 percent). 

3) In order to make it easier for our citizens living in rural and remote areas,  mobile state services have been established. About 800,000 mobile services were provided in 2023 alone.  

4) Since 2019, all services provided through state service centers have been provided on the basis of the “extraterritorial” principle.