On October 3, 2024, Uzbekistan officially adopted the Law on the Creative Economy (Law of the Republic of Uzbekistan No. LRU-970), marking a significant step toward fostering innovation and protecting intellectual property in creative industries. The law aims to develop a thriving ecosystem for content creators, artists, designers, and media professionals by offering new opportunities, financial incentives, and legal protections.
What Is the Creative Economy?
The creative economy is a rapidly expanding sector where human creativity, knowledge, and innovation intersect to produce goods and services with economic value. This includes industries such as design, music, film, publishing, advertising, and digital content creation. Uzbekistan’s move to regulate and support this sector demonstrates a commitment to positioning the country as a hub for creative industries in Central Asia.
Key Highlights of the Law
One of the most ambitious aspects of the new legislation is the establishment of a Creative Industry Park - a dedicated hub designed to support creative professionals. Modeled after Uzbekistan’s successful IT Park, this initiative aims to provide essential infrastructure, training programs, and financial incentives to media makers, content creators, and innovators.
The law introduces several key benefits:
Why This Matters for Content Creators
Uzbekistan has witnessed a surge in digital content creation, with influencers, videographers, and musicians producing a wide range of online content. Platforms like YouTube, Instagram, and TikTok have become essential career-building tools for many young professionals. However, a lack of awareness about copyright laws remains a major issue, leading to frequent cases of unintentional infringement, such as unauthorized use of music, images, and video clips.
The Creative Industry Park could be a game-changer, not just by fostering creative talent but by equipping creators with the necessary legal knowledge to protect their work. By gathering industry professionals in one place, it may lead to more collaboration, networking, and formalization of creative enterprises.
Strengthening Copyright Protection
A major focus of the new law is enhancing copyright protection for local creators. Currently, many media makers struggle to protect their content due to insufficient knowledge of copyright enforcement mechanisms. Under the new legal framework, creators will have access to improved legal mechanisms for registering, enforcing, and commercializing their intellectual property.
Additionally, the law provides a foundation for stricter enforcement against copyright violations. This means content creators will have stronger legal grounds to challenge unauthorized use of their work and seek compensation.
What’s Next?
The full implementation of the Creative Economy Law will require secondary legislation, the establishment of the Creative Industry Park, and clear regulatory guidelines. Over the next few years, Uzbekistan’s creative sector could experience significant growth, attracting local and international investment while providing a more secure environment for artists and media professionals.
For creators in Uzbekistan, now is the time to embrace this shift. With improved legal protections and government-backed initiatives, the creative economy could become a powerful driver of innovation and economic development in the country.