LexisNexis Middle East

Ajman: New Government Services to be Launched

18/10/202318/10/2023
by Tanya Jain

Al Bayan, 15 October 2023: The Ajman Digital Department has announced that 12 government and private entities are going to announce more than 40 new services.

They will be launched on the Ajman Government Platform to simplify the customer journey and provide an easy and smooth experience for partners and community members.

The Head of the Port and Customs Department said that the Department intends to launch a package of digital technical innovations including a wide range of fields, including the customs and maritime sectors.

They will also sign more than 10 partnership and cooperation agreements with government and private entities, to explore the latest global innovations and technologies, and build new partnerships to improve the digital transformation process in the Emirate.

Click here to read more.

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News developments

Bahrain: Credit Access Law Drafted

17/10/202317/10/2023
by Tanya Jain

Gulf Daily News, 16 October 2023: Bahrain’s government has drafted a draft law to make it easier for small businesses to obtain credit more easily and cheaper.

The country’s Industry and Commerce Minister said the law is yet to be sent to Parliament to consider.

It governs the creation and enforcement of security interests in movable assets.

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News developments

UAE: Emirates Drug Corporation Established

11/10/202311/10/2023
by Tanya Jain

Al Bayan, 9 October 2023: The UAE’s Cabinet has approved a Federal Law establishing the Emirates Drug Corporation.

It will be responsible for regulating and managing everything related to medical products at a federal level and will have its own legal personality and financial and administrative independence.

Among other things, it will trace medical products across the country, including free zones.

These products include pharmaceutical products, medical aids, healthcare products, biological products, nutritional supplements, cosmetics, veterinary products, fertilisers, agricultural conditioners, growth regulators, plants, pesticides, genetically modified organisms, and their products.

Other medical products may be added by subsequent legislation.

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News developments

Saudi Arabia: Call for Tax Fines Exemption Initiative to be Utilised

11/10/202312/10/2023
by Tanya Jain

Arabian Business, 9 October 2023: Saudi Arabia’s Zakat, Tax and Customs Authority has urged individuals and businesses to take advantage of a tax fine exemption scheme.

The Kingdom’s Finance Ministry announced it had published a guide to an initiative to apply for the exemption of fines before the end of this year in September this year.

The initiative aims to mitigate the financial implications arising from COVID-19 that affected companies.

It discusses the exemption from fines resulting from late registration in all tax laws and regulations.

It includes the exemption from delayed payment fines and overdue tax return submission and exemption from the VAT return correction penalty.

However, the conditions for taxpayers who could benefit from the initiative still apply.

The seven-month initiative was launched on 1 June 2023 and ends on 31 December 2023.

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News developments

UAE (Ras Al Khaimah): Plastic Bag Ban to Come into Force on 1 January

11/10/202311/10/2023
by Tanya Jain

Khaleej Times (United Arab Emirates), 5 October 2023: Ras al Khaimah’s Environment Protection and Development Authority has announced a plastic bag ban will come into force on 1 January next year.

Under Ras al Khaimah Law No. 4/2023, the use and circulation of single-use plastic bags will be banned.

It means no single-use plastic bags will be allowed in the Emirate.

The ban will apply to all bags provided by stores, including grocery shops and bakeries.

The ban has been introduced in line with the UAE-wide blanket ban on single-use plastics announced earlier this year. The UAE-wide ban will mean the importation, production and circulation of these materials will also be banned.

Five other Emirates have announced bans or regulated the use of plastic.

The Abu Dhabi authorities have banned single-use plastics since 1 June 2022.

The Dubai authorities have been charging 25 fils per single-use plastic bag since 1 July 2022 and the Sharjah authorities have been doing the same since 1 October 2022. A complete ban will come into force there on 1 January 2024.

Plastic bags have also been banned in Ajman and Ummal Quwain this year.

The announcement by the Ras al Khaimah authorities means Fujairah is the only Emirate not to have introduced any measures.

In January 2026, the plastic ban will cover other products like cups, plates, cutlery, containers and boxes. This will include spoons, forks, knives, chopsticks, straws and stirrers.

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News developments

Qatar: Central Bank Issues Loan-based Crowdfunding Regulations

11/10/202311/10/2023
by Tanya Jain

Qatar Tribune, 10 October 2023: Qatar’s Central Bank has announced it has issued loan-based crowdfunding regulations.

They cover the licensing and regulation of these activities and services in the country.

Among other requirements, entities wanting to provide loan-based crowdfunding activities must apply for the relevant licence from the Central Bank.

The regulations have been issued in line with the national financial sector and Fintech strategies and the Central Bank’s efforts to regulate and develop the country’s financial sector.

Also reported in Lusail on 9 October 2023. For the full story, click here.

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News developments

Oman: Health Insurance Electronic Connectivity Regulations

11/10/202311/10/2023
by Tanya Jain

Alroya, 9 October 2023: The Omani Capital Market Authority has issued Oman Decision No. Kh/83/2023 issuing regulations for the electronic connectivity of the health insurance system.

The decision comes into force 30 days after the date of its publication in the Official Gazette.

The first article of Chapter One states that the “Dhamani” platform is affiliated with the Authority and through it, services related to health insurance are to be provided electronically.

Article Four of Chapter Three states that the insured must be notified of the purpose of collecting personal data and their right to access it and request it to be updated through the platform. They should also be informed about adherence to the relevant medical code specified by the Authority to use in all transactions that take place through the platform.

Read the full story here.

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News developments

Kuwait: Electronic Real Estate Brokerage System Launched

11/10/202311/10/2023
by Tanya Jain

Alrai, 8 October 2023: The Undersecretary of the Trade and Industry Ministry Ziad Alnajem has announced the launch and activation of the first stage of a new Electronic Real Estate Broker system in Kuwait.

The system is intended to help prevent fraudulent real estate sales. It will help link up five relevant government departments – the Trade and Industry Ministry, the General Authority for Civil Information, the Justice Ministry, the Kuwait Municipality, and the fire brigade, as well as the purchaser and seller. It will also see the end of paper-based transactions in the local property market.

Read the full story here.

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News developments

Dubai: International Arbitration Centre Mediation Rules Come into Force

11/10/202311/10/2023
by Tanya Jain

The Mediation Rules approved by the Dubai International Arbitration Centre in July 2023 have come into force. They came into force on 1 October and mean all new mediation requests submitted to the Centre after this date will be governed by the Rules.

This will be subject to the introductory provisions set out in the Rules.

The Rules will apply where the parties have agreed to mediate their dispute at the Centre. Any party may refer a dispute to mediation at the Centre regardless of whether there is a pre-existing agreement to mediate.

Where there is a pre-existing agreement to mediate, the Rules will apply to mediations which start after the date the Rules came into force regardless of the date on which the agreement to mediate was entered into.

The parties may agree in writing to modify the Rules to the extent that the modiﬁcations are within the spirit of the Rules and do not render them inoperable, providing the modifications are approved by the mediator.

The aim is for all mediations to be conducted fairly, impartially, efﬁciently and proportionately with the sum(s) claimed and/or counterclaimed and the complexity of the dispute being taken into account.

The mediator, the parties and the parties’ representatives undertake to conduct the mediation in line with this objective. The party requesting mediation must submit an application to the Centre in the specified form and send a copy to the responding party at the same time.

The responding party will submit a reply in the specified form to the Centre and send a copy to the requesting party at the same time within 15 days of being notified of the application.

The Centre may grant the responding party an extension of up to seven days to ﬁle a reply, provided that the request for an extension contains the responding party’s consent that the dispute be referred to mediation under the Rules, if requested.

If no reply is received from the Centre within the specified time limits or within the additional time determined by the Centre in its discretion, it will be considered that the responding party does not consent to the dispute being referred to mediation under the Rules and the mediation will not proceed.

Where the parties reach an agreement to refer the dispute to mediation in line with the Rules, the mediation will start on the date the Centre sends written conﬁrmation to the parties that agreement to this effect has been reached.

The Rules also contain provisions on notifications, communications and calculation of time limits, mediation costs, appointment of mediators, conduct of the mediation and conclusion of the mediation.

In addition, they contain provisions on confidentiality, the functions of the Centre and Arbitration Court, exclusion of liability and document retention.

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News developments

UAE: Free Zones Council Considering Preferential Free Zones Option

06/10/202306/10/2023
by Tanya Jain

Gulf News (United Arab Emirates), 4 October 2023: Dubai’s Free Zones Council has discussed a range of measures to enable companies to choose their preferred free zones in the Emirate.

The measures will also encourage startups.

In addition, they will enable entrepreneurs to establish in the free zones.

The Council also discussed regulating the free zone-licensed establishments’ mainland activities. These activities include obtaining a permit from the respective licensing authority. They also include coordinating with the relevant free zone authority and opening a branch in the Emirate to carry out business activities from the same location in the free zone, in line with the procedures enforced by the licensing authority. However, specific legal procedures will have to be followed.

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