Ecopolice unit to be established in Uzbekistan

Uzbekistan will establish the State Environmental Control Inspectorate (Ecopolice) under the National Committee for Ecology and Climate Change. This is stated in the presidential decree signed by President Shavkat Mirziyoyev today, 19 November, titled “On Measures to Create a Management System Capable of Responding Promptly to Public Needs in the Fields of Ecology and Tourism.”

According to the decree, the Ecopolice will be created as a separate unit without legal entity status, based on the following:

•  The State Environmental Control Inspectorate of the Ministry of Ecology, Environmental Protection and Climate Change;
•  The regional special environmental protection prosecutor’s offices in Karakalpakstan, Tashkent and Jizzakh regions;
•  The optimized staff units of the prosecutor’s offices of Karakalpakstan, the regions and Tashkent city responsible for overseeing the implementation of legislation in ecology, environmental protection and forestry.

In addition, 40 staff units previously allocated to the prosecutor’s offices for supervising the execution of legislation in ecology, environmental protection and forestry will be transferred to the Ecopolice. The Ecopolice will serve as a special division of the Ecology Committee authorized to ensure environmental safety and prevent violations in this field.

The Chairman of the Ecology Committee will simultaneously serve as the Head of the Ecopolice. The Deputy Head of the Ecopolice will also act as the Deputy Chairman of the Ecology Committee and lead the Ecopolice’s operational headquarters. The Ecopolice will be allowed to establish territorial divisions not by administrative boundaries, but according to natural ecological zones.

The Ecology Committee will regularly report to the President of Uzbekistan on the following:

•  Violations committed by major enterprises and sectors in the field of ecology and environmental protection, along with measures taken against them and their responsible officials;
•  The performance of sectoral management and oversight bodies in fulfilling their duties in a timely and effective manner;
•  The annulment of decisions adopted by state bodies that contradict environmental legislation.

Together with the Ministry of Justice and relevant agencies, the Ecology Committee will, within one month, draft a bill introducing financial sanctions for legal entities violating environmental legislation and submit it to the Presidential Administration.

Within two months, the Committee, in cooperation with relevant ministries and agencies, will propose amendments and additions to legislation arising from the requirements of this decree.

The responsibility for overseeing the implementation of the decree is assigned to Saida Shavkatovna Mirziyoyeva, Head of the Presidential Administration of Uzbekistan.