Business fines to be halved, and a presumption of innocence for entrepreneurs starts in 2027

On 18 August 2026, at an open dialogue with entrepreneurs in the Khorezm region, President Shavkat Mirziyoyev announced that all types of fines for business would be reduced by half on average. "A fine should serve to ensure order, not to collect money", the head of state stressed.

Today 51 state bodies have the power to impose fines, and some of them keep a share of the collected amounts. For a first non-dangerous violation, 10 days to remedy it will be given instead of a fine.

From 2027 a "presumption of innocence of the entrepreneur" is introduced: until guilt is proven in court, no sanctions can be applied. Regulatory bodies will pay the state fee at every subsequent court instance.

The Expert Council under the Chamber of Commerce and Industry will be empowered to consider disputes in the customs, construction, sanitary, quarantine and veterinary spheres. An automated refund of security deposits in public procurement is also being introduced.

What this means in practice: if an inspector issues a fine for a first minor violation, demand a remedy period instead; and from 2027 sanctions without a court decision can be challenged as unlawful.

Photo: ForexTime, Flickr (CC BY 2.0)