Uzbekistan's courts are handling IP infringement claims with measurably greater rigour than in previous years. Rights holders who assumed that registered marks were self-enforcing – or that local courts would dismiss cross-border infringement claims on procedural grounds – are now encountering a changed enforcement environment. The shift is real, and acting on outdated assumptions carries direct commercial risk.
Uzbekistan's intellectual property enforcement system has undergone a significant practical shift as of early 2025, with courts demonstrating greater willingness to grant interim injunctions. Accept foreign evidence in infringement claims. Additionally, impose meaningful remedies against counterfeit goods. International companies holding trademark registrations or pending trademark applications in Uzbekistan are directly affected. Rights holders should treat the current window as an opportunity to audit their IP registration status and enforcement posture before counterparties consolidate infringing positions.
This alert sets out what has changed, which businesses face the greatest exposure, and the immediate steps international rights holders should take.
What has changed in Uzbekistan's IP enforcement conditions
Several developments have converged to alter the enforcement environment for intellectual property in Uzbekistan. First, the Intellektual mulk agentligi (Agency for Intellectual Property of Uzbekistan) has introduced updated procedural guidance for opposition proceedings. This guidance clarifies the evidentiary standards that opponents must meet when challenging a trademark application on relative grounds – including likelihood of confusion and earlier rights.
Second, the economic courts of Uzbekistan have begun applying IP legislation with closer attention to international treaty obligations. Uzbekistan is a member of the World Intellectual Property Organization and a party to the Paris Convention. Courts are now more consistently referencing the priority rights and cross-border recognition principles that flow from those commitments. This matters for any company that filed a trademark application abroad before entering the Uzbek market.
Third, customs authorities have updated their detention procedures for goods suspected of infringing registered IP rights. The practical consequence is that rights holders with active IP registrations can now expect border measures to be applied more reliably – but only where the underlying registration is properly recorded with the customs registry. Rights holders without that recording will see no benefit from this development.
The combined effect is that IP registration in Uzbekistan now generates more enforceable rights than it did two years ago. At the same time, unregistered rights remain difficult to enforce. The gap between registered and unregistered positions has widened.
For companies operating in adjacent CIS markets, a parallel alert on enforcement developments in a neighbouring jurisdiction is available: IP enforcement developments in Russia covers related shifts that affect regional brand protection strategies.
Which businesses are affected – and the threshold criteria
The businesses most directly affected fall into three categories.
Category 1 – Brand owners with existing Uzbek registrations. Any company holding a trademark registration in Uzbekistan is now operating in a more active enforcement environment. That cuts both ways. Competitors with weaker marks may challenge existing registrations through opposition proceedings more aggressively. At the same time, rights holders can enforce their own registered marks more effectively. A registration that was obtained and then left unmonitored is now a liability as much as an asset.
Category 2 – Companies with pending trademark applications. Businesses that have filed a trademark application under the Nice classification (the international system for categorising goods and services) but have not yet received registration face a specific risk. Third parties can file competing applications or initiate opposition proceedings during the examination period. Under the current procedural guidance, those oppositions are processed more actively than before. Delays in responding to office actions or opposition notices can result in abandonment of the application.
Category 3 – Importers and distributors of branded goods. Companies importing goods into Uzbekistan that bear registered trademarks – whether their own or a licensor's – must ensure that customs registry recordings are current. Goods detained at the border without a corresponding customs recordal can face extended delays even where the importer holds a valid licence. The compliance threshold here is straightforward: if the mark is registered and the importer is authorised, the recordal must be in place.
The threshold criteria for immediate action are: (a) any registered trademark in Uzbekistan not reviewed in the past 18 months. (b) any trademark application pending for more than 12 months without a status check. and (c) any import operation involving branded goods without a confirmed customs recordal.
To discuss how these developments affect your IP portfolio in Uzbekistan, contact us at info@ferrazwhitmore.com.
Immediate actions required for international companies
The following steps should be taken within the next 60 days.
- Audit your IP registration status. Confirm that all trademark registrations in Uzbekistan are current, that renewal deadlines have not lapsed, and that the Nice classification covers all goods and services actually in use. Gaps in class coverage are a common source of enforceability problems in infringement claims before Uzbek courts.
- Check pending applications for opposition risk. Review the status of any pending trademark application with local counsel. Determine whether the examination period has generated any office actions or third-party challenges. Failure to respond within the prescribed period is treated as abandonment under current practice.
- Record your marks with customs authorities. If you import goods bearing a registered trademark into Uzbekistan, instruct counsel to verify that the registration is recorded in the customs registry. This is a separate step from registration with the IP Agency and must be renewed periodically.
- Document evidence of use. Courts in Uzbekistan place increasing weight on evidence of genuine commercial use when assessing the scope and validity of a registered mark. Compile sales records, marketing materials, and distribution agreements that demonstrate use in the Uzbek market.
- Assess exposure from third-party marks. Search for recently filed applications by third parties in your product categories. The updated opposition proceedings regime means that a competing application filed in the past 12 months could mature into a registration that blocks your market position if not challenged promptly.
For a detailed review of your IP registration and enforcement position in Uzbekistan, the firm's dedicated service page covers the full range of available tools: see our intellectual property services in Uzbekistan. Companies operating at the intersection of technology and IP. including software, AI-generated content, and digital assets. should also review the AI and technology law advisory for Uzbekistan, where regulatory developments create additional IP exposure.
About Ferraz & Whitmore
Ferraz & Whitmore is an international law firm based in Lisbon, advising business clients across 46 jurisdictions. Our team combines Portuguese civil law expertise with English common law tradition to deliver cross-border legal solutions in intellectual property protection, trademark registration, and IP enforcement strategy. In the CIS region – including Uzbekistan – we support international rights holders in managing trademark applications, opposition proceedings, and infringement claims before local courts and administrative bodies. As a law firm in Uzbekistan matters, we coordinate with qualified local counsel to ensure that IP registration, customs recordals, and enforcement procedures meet current standards. Our attorneys have advised on IP matters across both civil law and common law systems, and the firm participates in cross-border practice groups focused on emerging market IP enforcement. Engaging a lawyer in Uzbekistan with cross-border experience is particularly important where registered rights span multiple CIS jurisdictions and require coordinated enforcement. To discuss your IP situation in Uzbekistan, contact us at info@ferrazwhitmore.com.
Disclaimer: This publication is provided for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. The information herein should not be relied upon as a substitute for professional legal counsel tailored to your specific circumstances. Ferraz & Whitmore assumes no liability for actions taken or not taken based on the contents of this material. For advice regarding your particular situation, please contact info@ferrazwhitmore.com.