According to local newspaper reports, Saudi Arabia’s Shoura Council is understood to be considering giving legal protection to whistle blowers in certain circumstances. It comes as the authorities have launched an extensive crackdown on corruption in the Kingdom in recent weeks. The Council is understood to have approved a draft proposal to grant whistle blower protection for financial and administrative corruption.
Bahrain’s Central Bank has released directives on the Bahrain Domiciled Real Estate Investment Trusts. The aim is to enhance their Real Estate Investment Trusts framework. Real Estate Investment Trusts are Collective Investment Undertakings which acquire and operate income generating local and foreign real estate properties, directly or indirectly and allow all types of investors to obtain real estate market exposure. The new directives will allow retail investors to invest in Bahrain Domiciled Real Estate Investment Trusts. As Real Estate Investment Trusts are tradeable instruments, the changes will also allow Bahrain Domiciled Real Estate Investment Trusts to be listed on the Bahrain Bourse and other licensed exchanges.
New Dubai Endowment Law details were discussed at a press conference by the Awqaf and Minors Affairs Foundation (AMAF) which was held in conjunction with the Mohammad Bin Rashid Global Centre for Endowment Consultancy (MBRGCEC). Under the law, which received Royal approval last month, private individuals, companies and organisations will be allowed to establish their own endowments, whether these are for educational, health, cultural, environmental, arts or sport reasons. Until now, the general practice has been for potential donors to make contributions AMAF in order to support endowment projects managed completely by AMAF, the Dubai endowment regulator. AMAF currently manage over 2.7 billion AED in assets, which include endowments. Under the new law they are mandated to receive all necessary documentation from endowment bodies who wish to be formally registered. AMAF will carry out a careful review of the documentation and issue waqf licenses to the applicants within 10 working days and then submit the licences to MBRGCEC. The MBRGCEC will issue a Dubai Endowment Sign to the body, which will enable them to operate as full-fledged endowment institutions and carry out their work. The Endowment Law Dubai Law No. 14/2017 has come into force. Endowment institutions will be licensed by AMAF, but will enjoy independence in terms of the management of their financial affairs within the framework of the licensing rules and regulations and the prevailing governance system of endowment institutions. AMAF will also monitor these institutions to ensure they achieve their goals and remain committed to this law and preceding laws pertaining to endowments. AMAF, as a regulator, will monitor the revenue and expenditure of endowments, and ensure the money is spent according to the declared and agreed purpose of the endowment. However, it will be possible to legally change the purpose and nature of an endowment over time by following specific procedures. This new law is expected to enhance the MBRGCEC’s role in granting the Dubai Endowment Sign to institutions which are engaged in community work based on the waqf concept. The law mandates institutions which hold the Dubai Endowment Sign to be granted special privileges in areas including government procurements, setting up and selecting contracts. Entrepreneurs are being invited to secure a licence for their waqf institutions so that they can implement community programmes in various fields.
Turkish parliament and president passed a law allowing Muslim clerics to conduct civil marriages. The law allows ‘mufti’ marriages which was also published in the country’s official gazette. Previously, only state officers in branches of the family affairs directorate were able to conduct marriages. A requirement has also been added which prohibits individuals who have carried out ‘immoral acts’ before marriage from becoming Turkish citizens. Many people in Turkey, conduct religious ceremonies as well as civil marriages, and see it as a religious obligation. The law does not change the requirements for a legal civil marriage. It has been stated its aim is to make it more convenient for those who wish to have religious marriages.
This week the spotlight is on health and insurance developments in the United Arab Emirates, where the Ministry of Health and Prevention is promising new laws will be issued to stop the unauthorised sale of antibiotics, amidst growing fears that their overuse worldwide could create drug-resistant bacteria. As well as creating a new law, the ministry has stated it will work with local health authorities to more closely supervise and inspect pharmacies across the UAE. There is a particular concern about the estimated 2,400 private pharmacies which operate outside hospital networks, where unauthorised dispensing of prescription drugs is most prevalent. The ministry will also seek to make doctors more aware of the need to prescribe antibiotics only when they needed, and to make sure they give accurate doses and the correct strength.
Elsewhere, the Insurance Authority is preparing a new legal framework to regulate reinsurance activities. Experts in the field have stressed on the importance of intervention by the Authority as a means of setting the necessary standards for the sector. It has been said been said by some that there has been a lack of commitment from some companies to risk management and on the calculation of their percentages.
This week the spotlight is on legal and regulatory developments in the Abu Dhabi Global Market, where they have announced businesses who register to operate with them will also be licenced to operate onshore in Abu Dhabi. It follows an agreement between the Global Market and Abu Dhabi’s Economic Development Department. Under the agreement, entities established in the Global Market will be able to hold dual licences providing they satisfy and fulfil the requirements of each jurisdiction and operate according to their rules and regulations. Entities with dual licences will not have to be physically present in Abu Dhabi. However financial service firms will still be subject to the relevant regulatory obligations and applicable laws, including any licencing requirements which may be imposed by any Federal financial service regulators.
Elsewhere, the Market’s Financial Services Regulatory Authority has launched a consultation on its proposed Remote Membership Framework plus other miscellaneous amendments aimed at boosting its capital market regime. The consultation ends on 2 January 2018. If approved, brokers from outside the Global Market would be able to access the Market’s exchanges and clearing houses. This would expand international investor participation in the Market, facilitates cross-border flows and increase liquidity for the Market’s capital market.
The UAE’s Federal National Council has approved a draft law to regulate and care for mosques. Under the law, employees must be qualified to work in mosques and anyone who belongs to illegal groups or organisations, practices illegal political or organisational activities or preaches without a licence or approval will not be able to issue fatwas or teach the Holy Quran outside mosques. Anyone who violates the Law will be fined between 20,000 and 50,000 AED and/or jailed for up to three months. Anyone who begs at mosques or interferes with the Imam while they are calling worshippers to prayer or whilst they are preaching will be fined 5,000 AED and or jailed for up to three months.
The Economic and Financial Commission of Bahrain’s Shoura Council has approved amendments to the Kingdom’s Commercial Companies Law. The amendments to Bahrain Decree-Law No. 21/2001 are contained in Bahrain Decree No. 57/2017. The Commission has referred the amendments to the Council Office Authority to present to the Council at its next session. The aim of these amendments is to improve the Kingdom’s international business rating.
This week the spotlight is on legal and regulatory developments in Bahrain, where the Kingdom’s Justice, Islamic Affairs and Endowments Minister, Shaikh Khalid bin Ali Al-Khalifa has issued an Edict stipulating the requirements for lawyers and foreign legal firms regarding anti-money laundering and terrorist financing. The Edict has been issued in line with the Middle East and North Africa Financial Action Task Force (MENAFATF) criteria on anti-money laundering and terrorist financing as well as UN conventions, agreements and UN Security Council Resolutions.
Under Bahrain Edict No. 64/2017, lawyers’ offices, foreign legal offices and firms have to comply with Bahrain Law No. 4/2001 regarding the prohibition and combating of money laundering and terrorist financing to ensure their operations are not used for money laundering or terrorist financing. It makes it mandatory to notify the follow-up and monitoring unit at the Interior Ministry’s Financial Investigation Directorate about any suspicious or abnormal activities, when conducting transactions on behalf of their customers. This includes real estate transactions, fund and asset management and all types of banking. Lawyers’ offices, foreign legal offices and firms have to verify the information provided by their customers as well as clients who demand legal opinions regarding the powers of attorney and write down details in special records accredited by the Justice, Islamic Affairs and Endowments Ministry and inform the follow-up unit about any suspicious information.
The Edict defines ‘suspicious’ and ‘abnormal activities’ as ‘operations which are suspected to be linked, directly or indirectly, to the crimes involving money-laundering and terror funding’. Licensed lawyers and foreign firms have to open accounts for professional purposes in a bank accredited by the Central Bank and all payments or funds collected from or on behalf of customers have to be deposited in the bank. Lawyers and foreign firms also have to set up special e-records to register all lawyers’ activities and legal opinions provided to customers. These records have to include the customer’s name and data, the subject of the power of attorney or legal opinion, date of the service provided to customers, the amount of money paid to the firm, the financial transaction serial number, name of the bank and date of the transfer.
Elsewhere, the Chairman of the Kingdom’s Economic and Financial Affairs Committee, Jalal Kathem has announced tobacco and fizzy and energy drinks have been listed on the VAT list. These commodities will be subject to 5% VAT because they are not considered basic commodities. This will see the cost of tobacco packets increase by roughly 60% while energy drinks will increase by 100%.
With immediate effect, the UAE’s General Directorate of Residence and Foreigners Affairs has tightened the requirements for employment sponsorship transfer between companies located in the same free trade zone. As a result, all foreign nationals must now undergo a medical examination and obtain a new Emirates ID card. They will be issued a new employment residency permit with a validity of up to three years whereas previously, the visa was issued for the remainder of the initial visa’s validity. Transferee’s dependent’s residency permits are unaffected by this change.
