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Reforming Mobile Sector Taxation in Uzbekistan: Unlocking Economic and Social Benefits Through Tax Reform in the Mobile Sector

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Reforming Mobile Sector Taxation in Uzbekistan: Unlocking Economic and Social Benefits Through Tax Reform in the Mobile Sector Reforming mobile sector taxation in Uzbekistan: Unlocking economic and social benefits through tax reform in the mobile sector Copyright © 2018 GSM Association 1 REFORMING MOBILE SECTOR TAXATION IN UZBEKISTAN About the GSMA EY | Assurance | Tax | Transactions | Advisory The GSMA represents the interests of mobile operators worldwide, uniting more than 750 About EY operators with over 350 companies in the broader EY is a global leader in assurance, tax, transaction mobile ecosystem, including handset and device and advisory services. The insights and quality makers, software companies, equipment providers services we deliver help build trust and confidence and internet companies, as well as organisations in in the capital markets and in economies the world adjacent industry sectors. The GSMA also produces over. We develop outstanding leaders who team to industry-leading events such as Mobile World deliver on our promises to all of our stakeholders. In Congress, Mobile World Congress Shanghai, Mobile so doing, we play a critical role in building a better World Congress Americas and the Mobile 360 Series working world for our people, for our clients and for of conferences. our communities. For more information, please visit the GSMA EY refers to the global organization, and may refer corporate website at www.gsma.com to one or more, of the member firms of Ernst & Young Global Limited, each of which is a separate Follow the GSMA on Twitter: @GSMA and legal entity. Ernst & Young Global Limited, a UK @GSMAPolicy company limited by guarantee, does not provide services to clients. For more information about our Report published September 2018 organization, please visit ey.com Disclaimer This report (Report) was prepared by Ernst & Young LLP for the GSM Association using information provided by the GSM Association and data from publicly available sources. Ernst & Young LLP does not accept or assume any responsibility in respect of the Report to any readers of the Report (Third Parties), other than GSM Association. To the fullest extent permitted by law, Ernst & Young LLP will accept no liability in respect of the Report to any Third Parties. Should any Third Parties choose to rely on the Report, then they do so at their own risk. Ernst & Young LLP has not been instructed by its client, GSM Association, to respond to queries or requests for information from any Third Party and Ernst & Young LLP shall not respond to such queries or requests for information. Further Ernst & Young LLP is not instructed by GSM Association to update the Report for subsequent events or additional work (if any) performed by Ernst & Young LLP. Accordingly, without prejudice to the generality of the foregoing, Ernst & Young LLP accepts no responsibility to any Third Party to update the Report for such matters. Ernst & Young LLP reserves all rights in the Report. REFORMING MOBILE SECTOR TAXATION IN UZBEKISTAN Contents Executive summary 5 1. The Uzbek economy, the role of the mobile sector and opportunities for growth 9 1.1 Country overview 9 1.2 Market overview 11 1.3 The socio-economic contribution of the mobile sector 18 2. Tax contribution of the mobile sector in Uzbekistan 21 2.1 Taxation of mobile consumers and operators 21 2.2 Tax contribution of the mobile sector 23 2.3 Mobile sector taxation compared to other sectors 27 3. Designing a more efficient tax framework for the mobile sector 28 3.1 Principles of taxation applying to the mobile sector 29 3.2 An assessment of the mobile sector taxation in Uzbekistan 31 3.3 Options for tax reform in the mobile sector in Uzbekistan 32 3.4 Digital opportunities for a more efficient tax system 34 4. Economic impacts of tax reform on the mobile sector in Uzbekistan 36 4.1 Recommended options for tax reform 36 4.2 Approach to assessing the quantitative impacts of tax reform on the mobile market and the wider economy 36 4.3 Phased reduction in corporation tax 38 4.4 Reducing the monthly subscriber fee 40 4.5 Eliminating SIM card fees 42 5. Conclusion: Reforming mobile sector taxation in Uzbekistan 45 Appendix A Methodology 47 Appendix B Scenario estimations 57 REFORMING MOBILE SECTOR TAXATION IN UZBEKISTAN 4 REFORMING MOBILE SECTOR TAXATION IN UZBEKISTAN Executive summary Mobile telephone services are playing an increasingly subscribers has grown from 6.4 million in 2008 to 19.2 important role in supporting economic growth million in 2018, representing 59% unique subscriber and social inclusion across the world. Mobile penetration.2 Mobile sector expansion in Uzbekistan penetration, and specifically 3G and 4G penetration, has been enabled by significant investment by mobile enhances digital connectivity by expanding internet operators over the last decade, which has seen and broadband access, which in turn facilitates the network develop such that, in 2017, 90% of the the reduction of barriers for trade, commerce, population were covered with 3G networks and 80% communication, service delivery, and human by 4G networks.3 development. Examples of these benefits are seen in the form of financial inclusion via mobile payment Total mobile sector revenues were $1.2 billion in 2017, platforms, digitally enabled local entrepreneurship, equivalent to 2.5% of Uzbek gross domestic product innovative health and education delivery systems, and (GDP), while the sector contributed approximately growing numbers of e-government initiatives. $868 million of direct economic value to Uzbekistan in 2017 (1.9% of GDP).4 The sector also supports a much Conducive regulatory conditions offer the mobile wider mobile ecosystem that includes mobile content industry the support it needs in order to thrive and developers, mobile distribution providers and retail maximise the opportunities available to consumers, companies. businesses and governments. Within this, taxation is an important factor, and there is a need to achieve the As a significant part of the population (around 34% right balance between tax revenue maximisation, and of the addressable market)5 is not connected to the incentivising investment and economic growth. mobile network and about half of existing subscribers are not connected to mobile broadband services, In order to assess the potential benefits of a more despite the high levels of network coverage, there efficient tax structure in the mobile sector, one which exists considerable room for expansion in the mobile focuses on facilitating investment and unlocking sector in Uzbekistan. digital inclusion, the GSMA1 has commissioned EY to undertake a study of the economic impact of potential There is also scope to improve network quality in tax reforms on the Uzbek mobile sector. Uzbekistan. Whilst population coverage is high, downloads speeds are low relative to regional peers This report analyses recent developments and the tax in Central Asia6 and Eastern Europe. Improving structure in the mobile market of Uzbekistan, sets out download speeds would improve the user experience, potential options for tax policy reform, and estimates and enable the use of new, higher bandwidth services, the impacts of these policy options on: the mobile which in turn would incentivise take-up of mobile sector, the wider economy and the Government’s fiscal broadband. position. Given a relatively low level of fixed broadband The Uzbek mobile market has expanded rapidly, but penetration in Uzbekistan (8.8% in 2016),7 incentivising there is scope for further growth in penetration and further investment to improve the quality of 3G and migration of subscribers to modern technologies 4G networks, as well as improving the affordability of mobile services should become a policy priority for In Uzbekistan, the mobile industry is playing a the Government. Facilitating the growth of the mobile significant role in driving economic growth and digital sector aligns with the Government’s broader economic inclusion across the country. The number of mobile and social objectives for the Uzbek economy, which 1. GSMA, https://www.gsma.com/aboutus/. 2. There is an important difference between the number of mobile connections – the metric traditionally used by the industry to measure market size and penetration – and the term 'unique mobile subscribers'. The latter refers to a single individual that has subscribed to a mobile service and that person can hold multiple mobile connections (i.e. SIM cards). 3. GSMA Intelligence database. 4. ibid. 5. ibid. 6. Central Asian region includes Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Turkmenistan. 7. This is calculated as the total number of fixed telephone lines divided by the population. Source: World Bank databank. 5 REFORMING MOBILE SECTOR TAXATION IN UZBEKISTAN are set out in National Development Strategy for and UK (0%). The main source of the mobile-specific 2017-21. This includes maintaining high growth rates, burden are the regulatory fees, which constitute increasing investment, improving the role of services 38% of the total tax payments made by the industry. in the economy and modernising key industries. This is mainly due to the high subscriber fees paid It would also contribute towards achieving the by the operators. Such a high tax burden can place ambition expressed by the President of Uzbekistan to constraints on the capacity of mobile operators to significantly increase the internet speed while reducing invest and expand the mobile network. the cost of access.8 Through policy reform, the Government of Uzbekistan As it currently stands, for a low consumption basket has the opportunity to simplify and rebalance the (500MB of data), the poorest 20% of the population taxation of the mobile sector, supporting job creation in Uzbekistan spend approximately 11.7% of their and a better business climate monthly income on mobile ownership, while a medium consumption basket costs them as much as 13.7% The Uzbek economy has expanded at an average rate of monthly income.9 Significant improvements in of 7.4% per annum between 2012 and 2017.
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