News developments Archives - Page 12 of 239

Saudi Arabia: Updates Beneficial Ownership Regulations for Companies

11/12/202511/12/2025
by Hannah Gutang

Saudi Arabia’s Minister of Commerce has issued new regulations governing beneficial ownership disclosure, replacing previous rules with more comprehensive requirements for business transparency.

Under Ministerial Decision No. 99/1447, companies must now maintain detailed registers of their beneficial owners, defined as natural persons who exercise ultimate effective control over a business, either directly or indirectly.

The regulations establish a three-tier system for identifying beneficial owners. The primary criterion requires identifying individuals who own 25% or more of a company’s capital. If no such owner exists, the second criterion looks at individuals exercising control through other means. In cases where no beneficial owner can be identified through ownership or control, the company’s director, board member, or chairman will be designated as the beneficial owner.

Companies must record specific details about beneficial owners, including full name, nationality, date and place of birth, identification documents, passport details for non-residents, address, contact information, and the nature and extent of their ownership or control. The register must also document when beneficial ownership status was established.

The Ministry of Commerce will maintain a central database of beneficial ownership information, though no fees will be charged for registration or annual confirmation of details. Companies failing to comply with these requirements face penalties under Saudi company law.

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Ras Al Khaimah: Introduces New Legislative Drafting Framework

11/12/202511/12/2025
by Hannah Gutang

Ras Al Khaimah Executive Council has established new procedures for creating and implementing legislation through Resolution No. 19/2025, introducing significant changes to the emirate’s law-making process.

The resolution outlines a streamlined approach to drafting legislation, removing four major procedural steps and implementing service level agreements to expedite the process. The new framework combines both human-focused and technological elements in policy development.

Under the updated system, legislation will be developed using a design-thinking methodology that begins with identifying government and stakeholder requirements, followed by idea generation, pilot implementation, and final approval stages.

The council has introduced concurrent engineering methods to ensure smooth coordination between different governmental departments during the legislative process. Specialised sectoral committees will now play an active role in reviewing and developing new laws.

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Qatar: Launches Digital Platform for Disability Services Access

11/12/202511/12/2025
by Hannah Gutang

Qatar’s Ministry of Social Development and Family has unveiled a new national digital platform designed to provide comprehensive information and services for people with disabilities, their families and care providers.

The platform incorporates artificial intelligence technologies and meets international digital accessibility standards to ensure compatibility with assistive technologies.

Minister launched the service at a ceremony attended by people with disabilities and key stakeholders, implementing provisions of Qatar’s Law on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, particularly regarding technology access and social participation.

The new system provides a centralised digital hub for disability-related services and information, featuring enhanced accessibility features and user-friendly interfaces. It has been designed to work seamlessly with existing assistive technologies used by people with disabilities.

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Oman: Sets New Safety Standards for Workplace Drainage Systems

11/12/202511/12/2025
by Hannah Gutang

The Arabian Stories, 8 December 2025: Oman’s Ministry of Labour has issued detailed workplace safety requirements focusing on drainage and floor ditch regulations, as part of its enforcement of occupational safety standards.

The ministry has outlined specific measures that employers must implement at work sites, citing Article 15 of the country’s Occupational Safety and Health regulations. The new guidelines require all drainage and floor ditches to be equipped with metre-high safety rails and clear warning signage.

Under the regulations, ditch covers must not exceed 2.5 centimetres above ground level, and ditch edges must maintain a maximum slope angle of 30 degrees. The ministry has also mandated that all covering lids must be constructed to withstand the weight of vehicles and machinery operating on site.

The announcement emphasises employers’ legal responsibility to maintain workplace safety, with company owners or their representatives required to implement these protective measures. The requirements apply to all business sectors operating within Oman.

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Kuwait: Central Bank Unveils New Cybersecurity Framework

11/12/202511/12/2025
by Hannah Gutang

The Central Bank of Kuwait has introduced a comprehensive cyber and operational resilience framework aimed at strengthening the digital security measures within the country’s financial sector and will serve as the primary regulatory guideline for all local banks and financial institutions operating in Kuwait.

The framework establishes standardised protocols for cybersecurity and operational resilience across Kuwait’s banking system. It marks the first unified approach to digital security management within the country’s financial services sector.

Under the new regulations, financial institutions will need to comply with specific requirements designed to protect their digital infrastructure and maintain operational continuity. The framework addresses various aspects of cyber defence and institutional resilience, creating a structured approach to managing technological risks in the banking sector.

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Dubai: Unveils Centralised Digital Platform for Legal Services

11/12/202511/12/2025
by Hannah Gutang

Khaleej Times, 3 December 2025: Dubai’s Government Legal Affairs Department has launched a comprehensive digital system to streamline services for the emirate’s legal professionals, consolidating licensing and regulatory processes into a single platform.

The Legal Profession System, accessible through the department’s website and mobile app, enables lawyers and legal consultants to manage their professional registrations, licence renewals and practice-related applications through one digital portal. Users can access the system using their UAE Pass digital identity.

The platform introduces simplified documentation requirements and automated internal processes to expedite application reviews. It integrates with other government systems, allowing law firms to process licence modifications and structural changes through direct coordination with relevant authorities.

The new system handles all aspects of legal practice management, from initial registration to professional conduct procedures, eliminating the need for practitioners to interact with multiple government entities. Legal professionals can now complete administrative tasks through a unified online interface.

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Bahrain: Introduces New Rules for Real Estate Management and Anti-Money Laundering

11/12/202511/12/2025
by Hannah Gutang

Bahrain: Real Estate Regulatory Authority (RERA) has implemented new regulations governing shared property management and anti-money laundering measures in the kingdom’s real estate sector.

The framework introduces an alternative to mandatory homeowners’ associations for future real estate projects, establishing specific legal and administrative requirements for the operation of shared facilities. The measures outline procedures for managing common areas while maintaining property rights for all parties involved.

Additionally, RERA has launched new anti-money laundering and counter-terrorism financing regulations for real estate brokers. The requirements include risk assessment protocols, identification procedures for public figures and beneficial owners, and mandatory record-keeping practices.

The regulations specify procedures for internal controls and suspicious transaction reporting, while incorporating confidentiality measures for licensed entities.

The authority has established clear guidelines for both property management and financial compliance, creating standardised procedures for Bahrain’s real estate sector.

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Abu Dhabi: Imposes Fine for Residential Overcrowding

11/12/202511/12/2025
by Hannah Gutang

Arabian Business, 7 December 2025: Abu Dhabi’s Department of Municipalities and Transport (DMT) has announced strict enforcement measures against residential overcrowding, with fines reaching up to AED50,000 for violations.

The DMT has implemented a two-tier fine structure, with AED50,000 penalties for residential overcrowding and AED25,000 for units failing to meet health and hygiene standards. For repeated violations, fines can escalate to AED500,000, with maximum penalties of AED1 million for persistent offenders.

The authority has intensified on-site inspections and will enforce measures against suspicious residences and violators. Property owners must ensure compliance with occupancy laws and register all rental properties in the Tawtheeq system, while tenants must maintain proper documentation and register vehicles in their respective Mawaqif zones.

The DMT retains the authority to implement additional penalties, including the suspension of Tawtheeq contracts and accounts for non-compliant landlords and investors.

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UAE: New Fostering Law

05/12/202505/12/2025
by Tanya Jain

Khaleej Times, 27 November 2025: Federal Decree-Law No. 12/2025 a new fostering law is to reshaping the eligibility criteria for foster families

The law allows expatriates to foster children of unknown parents in the UAE. It also grants the children legal identity and documents, and is expected to reduce the occurrence of abandoned or unregistered children. The amendments are expected to help ensure the preservation-of-identity agreement and protect children from cultural or religious assimilation, which aligns with the UAE’s Constitutional principle of freedom of belief.

It ensures the protection for children of unknown parentage, safeguarding them from neglect, loss, or exploitation, while providing adequate health, psychological, educational, and social care for them.

They grant children legal identity and documentation (such as a birth certificate), which will help support their integration into society. There will now be a clear legal frameworks for foster families, which protects children’s rights and minimises legal disputes.

By widening eligibility to become a foster to include non-Muslims and non-nationals, the law is adaopting a more inclusive and compassionate approach – ensuring that children of unknown parentage have greater access to stable, loving, and protective family environments.

A foster family is a couple the household must consist of a husband and wife who live together in the UAE and both spouses must be residents. Ensure each spouse must be at least 25 years old. They must have no prior convictions involving honour or trust, even if they have been rehabilitated.

They must also be free from infectious diseases or psychological disorders that may affect the child.

In addition they must demonstrate financial ability to support the child and must meet any additional conditions issued by the Ministry or local authority.

A single woman can also apply to foster if she resides in the UAE, is unmarried, divorced or widowed.

They must be at least 30 years old and have no convictions involving honour or trust.

They must also be medically fit, with no infectious or psychological conditions that may affect the child and be financially capable of supporting the child.

They must also comply with any further federal or local requirements.

All applicants must submit a written pledge to provide a stable home environment and are prohibited from influencing the child’s officially documented identity or beliefs. Oversight committees may take any measures necessary to verify compliance, including reviewing the child’s education and other requirements set by authorities.

Local authorities must also provide the Ministry with data, documents and statistics necessary for implementing the decree and its executive regulations.

Custody may be withdrawn if a foster family or woman loses any of the eligibility condition or violates obligations under the law. Withdrawal decisions will be based on social researchers’ reports and cannot be contested.

If there is a minor violation, the committees may impose a corrective plan with specific deadlines; failure to follow it will result in custody being withdrawn under the decree and its executive regulations.

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Saudi Arabia: Implements New Public Finance Control Law

05/12/202505/12/2025
by Tanya Jain

Argaam, 27 November 2025: Saudi Arabia’s Cabinet has approved a comprehensive Financial Oversight Law to replace existing legislation, extending financial controls across all state-funded entities and organisations receiving government support.

The new legislation introduces expanded oversight measures for bodies managing public funds, including those collecting state revenues or conducting procurement on behalf of government institutions.

Under the updated framework, oversight mechanisms will be tailored to individual organisations based on their operational independence and financial risk levels. The law establishes specific monitoring requirements for entities funded through the state’s general budget, as well as those receiving government subsidies or grants.

The legislation also covers organisations contracted to collect public revenue or perform government-commissioned work and procurement activities. All entities falling under the law’s scope must adhere to new compliance standards and financial reporting requirements.

The Ministry of Finance will oversee the implementation of these enhanced control measures, which introduce updated regulatory tools for monitoring public expenditure and revenue collection. The new law establishes standardised procedures for financial oversight while allowing for entity-specific adaptations based on operational requirements.

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