The Law “On electronic government”, providing for the introduction and development of e-government services came into force in Uzbekistan.
The law was passed by the lower house of Parliament in November and approved by the Senate (upper house) in December 2015. It entered into force six months after its publication in the press.
The main purpose of the law is to regulate relations in the field of e-government.
The general provisions of the law are about the basic objectives and principles of e-government, the principle of openness and transparency of activities of state bodies, etc.
The main objectives of e-government are:
– ensuring the effectiveness, efficiency and transparency of activities of state bodies, strengthening of their responsibility and discipline, the creation of additional mechanisms to ensure feedback with the population and business entities;
– establishment of opportunities to applicants for the implementation of relations with public authorities within e-government throughout the country;
– formation of databases of the state bodies within the framework of their functions, the Single portal of state interactive services and the Single registry of electronic state services;
– implementation in the public administration of the “one window” principle;
– implementation of electronic document management, including in processes of presentation of statistical reporting, customs clearance, issuance of licenses, permits, certificates, as well as obtaining information from state bodies;
– extended usage of e-commerce systems, sales and procurement through the world information network the internet, as well as the introduction of automated systems of accounting, control and payment of utilities;
– development of a system of cashless electronic payments, public procurement, remote access, and other electronic forms of activities in the banking and financial sector.
According to the law, the state regulation in the field of e-government is exercised by the Cabinet of Ministers, Ministry for development of information technologies and communications, which is the authorized body in the field of e-government and other state bodies.
The law also provides a procedure for the assessment of the quality of rendering of state electronic services. Thus, in accordance with the law, assessment of the quality of rendering of electronic state services is carried out by the authorized body in the field of e-government on the basis of the methodology approved by the Cabinet of Ministers of the Republic of Uzbekistan, as well as the study of public opinion. The results of the assessment of the quality of rendering of state electronic services are subject to regular publication in the media. State bodies, providing e-government services are committed to take measures to improve the quality of their provision based on the results of the assessment.
The Cabinet of Ministers of the Republic of Uzbekistan has been instructed to bring decisions of the government in accordance with this law, as well as to provide revision and cancellation by bodies of state management of their normative acts, contradicting the law.