TASHKENT, Oct. 28 (Xinhua) -- Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev has instructed the government to conduct an inventory of various exemptions and preferences that are affecting competitiveness and market mechanisms, a presidential decree said Wednesday.
According to the decree, Uzbekistan's Ministry of Economic Development and Poverty Reduction, Ministry of Finance, Antimonopoly Committee and Anti-Corruption Agency will conduct by Dec. 1 an inventory of benefits and preferences that are affecting the competitive environment.
Upon concluding the inventory, the government bodies will submit a draft resolution to cancel identified exemptions and preferences for enterprises, it said.
According to the country's State Statistic Committee, the number of foreign companies operating in Uzbekistan surged by 18.9 percent year-on-year, reaching 11,329 as of Oct. 1.
With the same decree, Mirziyoyev has approved a list of state-owned properties and enterprises to be sold to the private sector to speed up the privatization process in the country.
Since Mirziyoyev took office in 2016, Uzbekistan has taken a series of measures to promote economic reforms, including liberalizing its foreign exchange market, reducing taxes, and offering preferential treatment to foreign investments. Enditem
