The Competition Committee responded to imposing restrictions on the import of BYD cars

At a press conference held at MICA on March 20, Asadulla Qayumov, the deputy chairman of the Committee for the Development of Competition and Protection of Consumer Rights, addressed the directive to limit the import of BYD cars. The announcement was made on MICA's official page.

Qayumov stated, "In 2023, we received 957 consumer appeals regarding car sales, of which 754, or 78.7 percent, were resolved satisfactorily, with 140 clarified. Over 4 billion soums were settled during the process, and 60 cars were replaced due to quality issues. More than 50 percent of the appeals were related to delivery delays, while 25 percent concerned car defects."

Regarding the recent decision, Qayumov mentioned that an order was issued to propose measures in line with existing competition laws and WTO norms.

"We advocate for a free market. Our primary goal is to facilitate competitive pricing and optimal quality for consumers. Hence, we will present our recommendations to the government to safeguard consumer rights and foster a competitive environment with fair pricing and quality car supply," stated the Deputy Chairman of the Competition Committee.

Farrukh Qoraboyev, another deputy chairman, clarified that the limit has not been enforced yet and will be determined based on proposals. He emphasized that decisions made during proposal development and their impact on WTO membership would be considered.

"Given these factors, it's premature to definitively discuss restrictions. Since the directive was issued, any company can engage with the government freely. Any business owner is entitled to approach any state entity and provide suggestions," noted Farrukh Qoraboyev.

It's worth mentioning that the BYD Uzbekistan Factory appealed to the Uzbekistan government yesterday to curb illegal electric car imports, prompting the President to instruct relevant ministries and “Uzavtosanoat” to develop proposals by July 1 of this year.

To provide context, the joint venture "BYD Uzbekistan Factory" was established in 2022 based on an agreement between "Uzavtosanoat" (holding 60 percent) and "BYD Europe B.V." (Netherlands) (holding 40 percent).