Dubai’s Rental Disputes Centre has launched the Rental Good Conduct Certificate service. The service is the first of its kind in the region and is aimed at enhancing trust between landlords and tenants. It is also aimed at reducing the number of disputes between them. It is part of moves to improve the Emirate’s performance in this area.
A Saudi-American joint report has recommended dividing Government projects into small shares to ease the process of giving tenders to small companies. The report also recommended allocating some of the procurement shares of public and private sectors to small and medium enterprises. The report was prepared by the Saudi-American Business Council on the development of small and medium enterprises in partnership with the research company Accountability. It also highlighted regulatory bodies need more indexes and indicators to measure the performance of SMEs to support their development.
Bahrain’s King has issued four new laws aimed at improving the country’s investment environment including the Competition Law. The Competition Law is aimed at tackling monopolies and anti-competitive behaviour. In addition, a new Health Insurance Law granting the Supreme Council of Health responsibility to implement the system and establishing a national health insurance fund was approved. The King also approved the Bankruptcy Law which will introduce reorganisation procedures, allow management to stay in place and business operations to continue. It also covers cross-border insolvency and insolvencies of SMEs. Finally the King approved the Personal Data Protection Law which covers big data for commercial use and includes guidelines on cross-border data transfers.
Kuwait’s Central Bank has announced it has issued Instructions to all service providers to register on their electronic payments system. Under the Instructions, all service providers will have to regulate their e-payment transactions in line with the relevant regulations. The Central Bank will be able to scrutinise all e-payment methods.
Qatar’s Cabinet has approved the establishment of a free media zone aimed at attracting international media, technology companies and research institutions. The aim will also be to integrate activities with other state projects and support the establishment of investment funds focusing on media organisations. Media which will be supported will include digital, film and television. The Director of the Government Communications Office said the decision will allow foreign journalists to register in the zone. It follows the Cabinet’s recent approval of a draft law on freedom of the press.
Jordan’s Legislation and Opinion Bureau has published a draft Zakat law. If approved it will establish a General Zakat Organisation which will have its own financial and legal independence, a Board of Trustees and branches and offices across the country. A fund to succeed the Zakat Fund established under Jordan Law No. 8/1988 will also be established and that law and its regulations will be repealed. The Board’s members will be drawn from individuals recommended by the Cabinet, including the Awqaf, Islamic Affairs and Holy Sites Minister. It will identify Islamic banks in which Zakat funds are placed, make plans for expenditures, regulations and carry out other budgetary and administrative duties. It will also issue recommendations on Zakat payments. The law specifies the way in which Zakat funds will be spent. It will come into effect on its publication in the Official Gazette.
The Cabinet of the UAE has announced a new law on residency visas for retirees. From 2019, foreign nationals looking to retire in the UAE will be able to obtain a renewable five-year residency visa, according to the announcement by the Cabinet. General conditions state that the new visa will be available to applicants over 55 who meet the following eligibility criteria, among other yet unannounced conditions such as investment in a property worth a minimum of two million AED in the UAE; or financial savings of no less than one million AED; or active income of at least 20,000 AED a month. It is expected a list of additional requirements and further visa conditions will be announced closer to the implementation date of the law.
According to the World Trade Organisation, Saudi Arabia could follow Australia and other countries and adopt plain cigarette packaging. The Kingdom has apparently notified the Organisation. No date for the introduction was given but when it does it will become the first GCC country to do so.
The Rental Dispute Centre of Dubai’s Land Department has confirmed landlords or property managers cannot remove contents of a rented property without having obtained a judicial order first. The Centre said legal procedures should be respected when a legal dispute arises between a landlord and tenants including serving a notice of eviction to the tenant using one of the methods provided for by the relevant law. The Centre said the execution of the judicial order should be done by specialists from the Centre then a landlord can access a disputed property.
Bahrain’s Cabinet has approved amendments to allow some foreign companies to open branches without needing a Bahraini partner. The moves would be based on Article 345 of Bahrain Decree-Law No. 28/2015 which amended some of the provisions of the Commercial Companies Law promulgated by Bahrain Decree-Law No. 21/2001. The Industry, Trade and Tourism Ministry has submitted a memorandum to facilitate this. The exemptions would apply to industries with strategic economic importance to the Kingdom.
