Kuwait’s Public Authority for Manpower has announced it has started receiving new applications to register SMES in line with the registration requirements in the decision for regulating SMEs. Applicants should be Kuwaiti nationals, younger than 45 and dedicate all their time to manage the project. Students and pensioners cannot apply. If there is a foreign partner in the business, their share should not be more than 20% of the total capital.
Bahrain’s Cabinet has approved exemptions to the Kingdom’s Labour Law. Players, coaches and members of technical, administrative, medical and arbitration teams of private bodies working in the youth and sports fields will be exempt from the Private Sector Labour Law. They will also be excluded from the remit of the Social Insurance Law as their clubs pay their insurance contributions. However, they will only be exempt if two draft laws to this effect are approved. The first draft law will replace Article 2(a) of Bahrain Law No. 36/2012 (the Private Sector Labour Law) and the second draft law will add Article 3(12) to Bahrain Decree-Law No. 24/1976 (the Social Insurance Law). The draft laws have been referred to the Legislative Authority to consider. The amendments were proposed by the Deputy Prime Minister and Chairman of the Ministerial Committee for Legal and Legislative Affairs.
The UAE’s Deputy Prime Minister, Presidential Affairs Minister and Chairman of the Abu Dhabi Judicial Department has issued a Decision to establish a specialist money laundering and tax evasion court. This is the first court of its kind in the country. It is part of the Department’s strategic priority to improve the litigation process and create a fair and just judicial system. It will support the continuous development of the Emirate’s judicial system and support the UAE’s efforts to tackle these crimes and prosecute perpetrators. A Decision to this effect has been issued by Sheikh Mansour. Abu Dhabi Decision No. 35/2020 will be part of the Abu Dhabi Criminal Court and appeals of the Court’s judgments will be heard by one of the Criminal Court’s Appeal Courts. The Undersecretary of the Judicial Department will issue the relevant decisions to implement it and anything which contradicts it will be revoked. It will be published in the Official Gazette and will come into force one after its publication.
The UAE’s Cabinet has approved amendments to the Law on Evidence in Civil and Commercial Transactions (Federal Law No. 10/1992). A Decree-Law has been issued to this effect.
It has been amended to allow more remote communication technologies to be used in evidence-related procedures and adopt digital signatures and documents. In addition, they aim to legitimise e-hearing minutes which document witness testimonies, as well as judicial decisions, signed notary documents and other related provisions.
The amendments will also enable-signatures and e-documents to be approved and treated as official documents.
They also approved a Federal Law to amend the law regulating the notary public profession (Federal Law No. 22/1991). The amendments include provisions related to regulating the notary public profession, like simplifying the evidence-giving process for all parties and enabling the use of e-transactions in all notary public procedures. They also aim to create memos and verify evidence of identity. In addition, they aim to enable the registration, signing and payment of fees electronically.
Documents will have to be created and saved electronically and will be kept confidential. They will not be able to be circulated, copied or deleted from the electronic system without permission from the relevant administration of the notary public at the Ministry.
The Justice Minister will issue the necessary decisions to enable the use of information technology in notary public work.
The aim is to help digitalise Government services by encouraging electronic means of litigation and notary public services without compromising confidentiality, speed and flexibility and ensure national information security regulations and policies, both Federally and at an individual Emirate level are complied with.
The UAE’s Central Bank has announced it has issued new Stored Value Facilities Regulations. They are aimed at ensuring stored value products and services are operated securely, well and efficiently. They are also aimed at giving FinTech companies and other non-bank payment service providers easier access to the local market while safeguarding the customers’ funds, ensuring proper business conduct and supporting the development of payment products and services. The regulation covers licensing, supervision and enforcement provisions which will apply to companies who are licensed to provide Stored Value Facilities services. Affected entities will have a year to comply from when the Regulation comes into force. Those who already have a Stored Value Facilities license under the previous regulatory framework may continue operating. However, they will have to implement all of the relevant measures set out in the new regulation by the end of the transition period.
The Vice Minister for Mining Affairs at Saudi Arabia’s Industry, and Mineral Resources Ministry has announced the Mining Investment Law will come into force next year. It is aimed at revolutionising the Kingdom’s mining sector and boosting its contribution to GDP by more than 240 billion Riyals. It is also aimed at reducing imports by 37 billion Riyals and creating 200,000 jobs by 2030. Under the Law, a mining fund will also be established and will provide sustainable finance for the sector as well as support geological survey and exploration programmes. Experts have valued mineral resources in the Kingdom at five trillion Riyals which the Law is aimed at tapping into. Finally, a National Geological Database has been set up to support the sector. It will provide access to 10,000 mining reports and 80 years of data.
Qatar’s Financial Centre has approved new Representative Office Regulations. The regulations will govern how these offices can be run in Qatar. Financial institutions will be able to carry out a range of activities, including marketing the products and services of its group, carrying out market research or feasibility studies in relation to financial products or financial services on behalf of the head office and serving as a liaison office for its group. They are aimed at helping financial service entities establish in the country and promote their products and services.
Oman’s Government is considering introducing an income tax on the wealthy in the Sultanate. The measure is being considered as the Sultanate tries to address an increasing budget deficit. The Government are also considering reforming public service subsidy schemes, increasing power and water tariffs, strengthening tax compliance and administration, rationalising expenditure and boosting efficiency. They are also considering liberalising visa regimes for tourists and introducing labour reforms.
Bahrain’s King has issued Bahrain Royal Order No. 42/2020, establishing the Financial Disclosures’ Examination Authority. The Authority will be chaired by the Court of Cassation President and Supreme Judicial Council Deputy President. Its panel will consist of the Prosecutor at the Cassation Court, Judge Shaikh Mohammed bin Ali Al Khalifa, High Civil Court Judge, Dr. Riyadh Mohammed Ibrahim Siyadi and High Civil Court Judge, Isa Mohammed Isa Daraj. They will be members for two years. The Authority will start receiving financial disclosure statements to examine them and verify related complaints, in line with the Law and procedures determined by its Implementing Regulations. It will have the same remit as its predecessor which was established by Bahrain Royal Order No. 26/2014.
Abu Dhabi’s Economic Development Department has announced it has issued a foreign direct investment license. It has been issued in line with Federal Decree-Law No. 19/2018 and will enable investors to hold 100% ownership of their businesses in the Emirate. It covers 122 different economic activities in the agricultural, industrial and service sectors.
It targets businesses with total capital of between two and 100 million AED or more. The aim is to encourage more investment into the Emirate, diversify the Emirate’s economy and protect investors.
It will benefit foreign investors and UAE residents, including individuals, legal persons and foreign companies who are engaged in Foreign Direct Investment projects. The license can be applied for through the Department’s Business Centre by submitting the application, obtaining the approval after fulfilling all conditions and completing all the required documents and paying the relevant fees.
It covers agricultural sector activities, like the cultivation of grains, leguminous crops, vegetables, fruits and citrus fruits. Other activities which support crop and livestock production and seed processing for reproduction will also be able to get the license. It covers industrial activities like the manufacturing of food and beverages, Food and Beverage, products, clothing and leather production, wood and cork products and the production of plastics and synthetic rubber in its primary forms, fertilisers, pesticides and other agricultural chemical products. It covers service activities like legal consulting; accounting, auditing and tax advisory services; architectural and engineering activities; medical and dental clinics; veterinary activities; computer programming services; consultancy and research and development activities in science and technology.
The Department added certain activities cannot obtain the license without the approval of the UAE’s Cabinet. Postal and telecommunications services, audio and video media related services, petroleum exploration and production, ground and air transportation services, activities related to investigations, security and military sectors, the manufacturing of weapons, explosives as well as military equipment, devices and clothing, printing and publishing services, banking and finance activities, payment and cash handling systems, commercial agent services; insurance activities, medical retailing like private pharmacies; Haj and Umrah services, employment of labour, servants and recruitment of employees, activities related to poison control centres, blood banks and health quarantines and water, electricity and fisheries services are not covered.
