Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) — At the recent plenary session of the Senate of the Oliy Majlis of the Republic of Uzbekistan, the Law “On Amendments and Additions to Certain Legislative Acts of the Republic of Uzbekistan” was reviewed and approved.

During the session, it was noted that in recent years the country has been undertaking targeted efforts to protect citizens’ rights, prevent violations, safeguard consumer interests, and address iodine deficiency disorders.

At the same time, there arose a need to strengthen liability for certain offenses and create additional conditions for the legal protection of citizens.

In particular, amendments were made to the Code of Administrative Liability, introducing tougher penalties for minor thefts of energy resources, as well as for failure to comply with lawful orders issued by employees of the internal affairs bodies and the National Guard.

Changes were also made to the Law “On Consumer Rights Protection.” The new provisions require sellers to strictly observe the delivery deadlines specified in sales contracts. In the event of a violation, the seller must pay the consumer a penalty amounting to 0.5% of the cost of the undelivered goods for each unit of delay (minute, hour, day), but not exceeding the full cost of the goods.

These measures respond to numerous citizen complaints: in 2024 alone, the Committee on Competition Development and Consumer Rights Protection registered over 30,000 appeals, more than 4,000 of which concerned late delivery of goods. Furthermore, an investigation into automobile delivery compliance revealed violations in more than 5,000 cases.

Significant amendments were also made to the Law “On the Prevention of Iodine Deficiency Disorders.” From now on, only iodized edible salt is permitted for production, import, and sale in the country. Iodized salt must also be used in the manufacture of food products. Additionally, the authority of the Ministry of Health to establish relevant sanitary and hygienic standards has been clarified.

Senators emphasized that the adopted law aims to strengthen law and order, ensure the rule of law, protect consumer rights, and safeguard public health.