LexisNexis Middle East

Bahrain: Independent Family Medicine Clinics for Healthcare Professionals

30/03/201911/12/2019
by Benjamin Filaferro

Bahrain’s Cabinet has amended standards for health professionals. Doctors qualified to work in public and private hospitals are to be permitted to open and run their own independent clinics, following a training program launched by the Arab Gulf University. The Cabinet amended the requirements for such professionals to permit Bahrainis with at least a masters’ degree in family medicine to become licensed and open private family medicine clinics. The amendments are a part of the National Employment Program, seeking to create more jobs for Bahrainis. The Prime Minister has set a target to employ 240 Bahraini doctors over the coming two years.

News developments

Egypt: Amendments to Egypt Law No. 196/2017 Regulating the Gas Market Activities

30/03/201911/12/2019
by Benjamin Filaferro

Egypt’s President has issued a Decree amending the Law regulating the activities of the gas market, promulgated by Egypt Law No. 196/2017. The Decree revokes Article 10(6) of Egypt Law No. 196/2017. It had said the Board of Directors of the Gas Regulatory Authority will adopt a system for monitoring and determining the performance criteria of licensees with respect to gas market activities. The Decree has been published in the Official Gazette.

News developments

Dubai: Private Schools Allowed to Increase Fees Again

30/03/201911/12/2019
by Benjamin Filaferro

Dubai private schools will be allowed to increase their fees again in the next academic year, following an approval by the Ruler at a meeting of the Dubai Executive Council, on the condition that their quality rating has not slipped in the last year’s government inspections. Schools are expected to work within an approved framework instituted by the Dubai Knowledge and Human Development Authority (KHDA).

Weekly Spotlight

Weekly Spotlight: Saudi Arabia Has Issued New Zakat Regulations

24/03/201911/12/2019
by Benjamin Filaferro

Saudi Arabia’s General Authority for Zakat and Tax has issued the updated Zakat Regulations in Arabic.

The Regulations are subject to certain exceptions, effective for financial years beginning on or after 1 January 2019 and supersede the provisions of all the previous Regulations and any conflicting circulars, instructions and Decisions.

The key changes include, amongst other things, new rules on how finance activities will be treated for Zakat purposes and a change to the Zakat rate applicable to the Zakat base. A permanent establishment of a non-resident Saudi or GCC national will be treated as a Zakat payer subject to a certain condition being met.

News developments

Saudi Arabia: Transfer Pricing Guidelines Published

24/03/201911/12/2019
by Benjamin Filaferro

Saudi Arabia’s General Authority for Zakat and Tax has issued guidelines on transfer pricing in Arabic and English. They cover the basic concept of transfer pricing and arm’s length principle. The Authority provides specific guidance on financial transactions, intangibles and business restructuring. The guidelines also provide guidance on selection of transfer pricing method, transfer pricing documentation, valuation, transfer pricing adjustments and details on audits.

News developments

Kuwait: New Decree Establishing Real Estate Broker’s Book

23/03/201911/12/2019
by Benjamin Filaferro

Kuwait’s Commerce and Industry Minister has issued a Decree establishing a Real Estate Broker’s Book. The Book will be online and is aimed at finalising the regulation of the country’s real estate sector and eliminate market manipulations. Under the Decree, the Commerce and Industry and Justice Ministries, Kuwait Municipality and the Public Authority for Civil Information will establish a database with details of any property which is being traded in terms of disputes and ownership status. Those who have obtained the relevant e-permits from the Public Authority for Civil Information will then be able to register on the e-booking system.

News developments

UAE: New Measures to Increase the Regulation of the Pharmaceutical Industry

23/03/201911/12/2019
by Benjamin Filaferro

The government of the UAE is set to pass new measures to increase the regulation of the pharmaceutical industry. Under the legislation, currently under review, those caught selling counterfeit medicine with be punished with up to five years in prison and a 1 million AED fine. There will also be prison sentences for up to a year in jail and a 500,000 AED for those selling poisonous substances. In addition, pharmacies caught overcharging for products could be fined up to 100,000 AED, with fines doubling for repeat offenders. Existing UAE legislation for in this area pharma industry dates back to 1983. The Federal National Council has said the draft laws would shortly be referred to the Cabinet. The FNC has also added pharmacists found to have faked a licences would be fined up to 200,000 AED and sentenced to two years in jail.

Weekly Spotlight

Weekly Spotlight: Oman’s Capital Market Authority Announces the New Companies Law

17/03/201911/12/2019
by Benjamin Filaferro

Oman’s Capital Market Authority has announced the new Companies Law. Oman Sultani Decree No. 18/2019 will be enforced from 1 April 2019 and Oman Law No. 4/1974 will be repealed. The Authority also announced they will be responsible for enforcing all its provisions, except the registration of listed companies. The new Law was issued through Oman Sultani Decree No. 18/2019. Under the Law, a holding company will take the form of a joint stock company unlike previously where a holding company could be a limited liability or joint stock company. A new Article on establishing professional firms has also been introduced and special rules for how they are regulated will be issued in due course as will the Implementing Regulations to the Law.

Elsewhere, Oman’s Sultan has issued a Decree approving the Selective Tax Law which will come into force 90 days after the issuing of the Sultani Decree. It will see tobacco product, alcohol, energy drink and pork product prices increase 100% and carbonated drink prices by 50%. Oman Sultani Decree No. 23/2019 will come into force in June 2019 and the Sultanate is the fifth GCC country to introduce it. Bahrain, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the UAE have already introduced the tax.

News developments

Bahrain: Amendments to the Private Health Establishments Law

16/03/201911/12/2019
by Benjamin Filaferro

Bahrain’s King has approved Bahrain Law No. 1/2019 amending Article 14 of Bahrain Decree-Law No. 21/2015 on private health establishments. Article 14A(2) of Bahrain Law No. 21/2015 now states, ‘Priority must be given in a private health establishment to recruitment of Bahraini physicians, technicians and nursing staff who are in possession of the requisite qualification and experience, with the exception of positions that require unavailable rare specialised expertise’. Private health establishments have to comply with this law once their contracts with non-Bahraini physicians, technicians and nursing staff have expired. The Law has been published in the Official Gazette and came into effect on its publication date.

News developments

UAE: New Insurance Dispute Committees to be Established

16/03/201911/12/2019
by Benjamin Filaferro

The UAE’s Insurance Authority has announced it has finalised its consultations with the Justice Ministry and local courts to establish committees to settle insurance disputes and stipulate their workflows. They added the consultations cover all regulatory issues and proposals including the power of their decisions, appeals and execution. The Authority confirmed the expected amendments establishing the Authority do not provide for judges being chairmen of these committees but this proposal is still being considered.