LexisNexis and Al-Yaqout & Al-Fouzan Legal Group Launches the ‘LexisNexis Library’ in Kuwait

Dubai, United Arab Emirates – 20 October 2021

The ‘LexisNexis Library’, located in the Al-Yaqout & Al-Fouzan’s premises at the Kuwait Chamber of Commerce & Industry, is the first initiative of its kind across the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC).

In partnership with Al-Yaqout & Al-Fouzan Legal Group, strategic partner and exclusive reseller of LexisNexis products and services in the State of Kuwait, LexisNexis is proud to launch their newest project in the GCC, the LexisNexis Library, which will be located in Al-Yaqout & Al-Fouzan’s premises at the Kuwait Chamber of Commerce & Industry (Abdulaziz Al-Saqer Street, Al-Qibla, Kuwait City, State of Kuwait).

The library’s collection will include a series of legal books, magazines, journals and reference legal research guides and handbooks, edited by global and regional legal publishers. While the titles will mainly be focused on the Gulf (United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Kuwait, Oman, and Bahrain) and the Dubai International Finance Centre (DIFC), a collection of foreign books will also be made available to the public. The library will be regularly provisioned and updated. Books will be available for on-site consultation or can be borrowed for a certain period of time. Some titles can be purchased. It will also be possible to order titles that are not immediately available at the library.

Through this partnership, in addition to the LexisNexis Library, a LexisNexis Legal Training Room will be established in Kuwait, to continue delivering unique and tailor-made training programs in the country.

The initiative has no equivalent across the GCC. With this unique project, LexisNexis, a leading global provider of legal, regulatory and business information and analytics, and Al-Yaqout & Al-Fouzan Legal Group, a leading law firm in Kuwait, have come together, with the aim of diversifying the sources of legal knowledge by providing training services and legal books in English, Arabic and French for legal practitioners, students, researchers and academics in Kuwait. This project is part of LexisNexis and Al-Yaqout & Al-Fouzan Legal Group’s desire to contribute to advancing the Rule of Law in the Middle East.

The LexisNexis Library will open its doors end of October 2021. LexisNexis and Al-Yaqout & Al-Fouzan Legal Group look forward to welcoming the legal community of Kuwait to the LexisNexis Library and hope they will take part in the various legal training programmes that will be offered.

The agreement-signing ceremony took place on Wednesday 6^th October 2021 at the LexisNexis headquarters in Paris. It was attended by Al-Yaqout & Al-Fouzan Legal Group’s Managing Partner, Khalifah H. Al-Yaqout, Attorney-at-Law and LexisNexis Middle East’s newly appointed Managing Director, Benjamin Filaferro.

Kuwait: Over-60s Expatriate Ban Reversed

Gulf News (United Arab Emirates), 8 October 2021: A Kuwaiti Government agency has reversed a ban on expatriates over 60 who do not have a university degree from renewing their work permit.

The decision was revered by the Legal Advice and Legislation Department.

It was issued by the Public Authority of Manpower in August 2020 without authorisation.

They issued a subsequent decision allowing expatriates over 60 to renew their residency permits in for 2,000 Dinars.

The Commerce Minister as Chairman of the Public Authority of Manpower will now have to issue a decision to reverse the ban.

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Kuwait: Tax Changes on the Way

Arab News, 14 July 2021: Kuwait’s Finance Minister has announced tax changes are on the way.

Excise tax and VAT will be introduced.

They also announced withdrawals need to be made from the Future Generations Reserve Fund temporarily to plug a budget deficit.

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Kuwait: Tougher Recruitment Restrictions for Government Jobs Announced

Gulf News (United Arab Emirates), 10 June 2021: Kuwait’s Civil Services Commission has announced tougher recruitment restrictions for foreigners in Government jobs.

Under the restrictions, the appointment of non-Kuwaitis is restricted to health workers and teachers in specialisms where there are no citizens to fill vacancies.

The Commission has rejected requests by some Government agencies to recruit non-Kuwaitis. In some cases, they have also nominated Kuwait citizens for the vacant positions.

The Commission has considered these requests advertisements for vacancies in those agencies.

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Kuwait: Development Plan Tax Rejected

Alqabas, 6 June 2021: A Kuwaiti MP and member of the Financial Committee has announced the Committee has rejected a proposed development plan tax.

They added the Committee rejected the points related to the unified tax procedures law, amending fees for using public facilities and services and applying the tax law on selective commodities.

They went on to say the Committee will not accept any law which could add more fees on nationals.

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Kuwait: Compensation for Frontline Workers Law Approved

Kuwait Times, 27 May 2021: Kuwait’s National Assembly has approved a draft compensation for frontline workers law.

If approved, it will allocate 600 million Dinars to grant financial rewards for over 200,000 frontline workers who were involved in tackling Coronavirus. It will apply to Kuwaiti and expatriate employees who took part in the efforts to combat the coronavirus pandemic in the period between 24 February and 31 May 2020.

They also approved principles on amendments to expand the scope and penalties of a Zionist entity boycott law. The amendments state a jail term of up to three years for dealing with Israel will be imposed.

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Kuwait: Travel Ban for Non-Vaccinated Criticised for Being Unconstitutional

Arab Times, 4 May 2021: Several MPs have objected to the decision by the Cabinet to prevent citizens, who have not been vaccinated against COVID 19, from travelling overseas.

The MPs, including Osama Al-Shaheen, have said the decision is unconstitutional and the Prime Minister and Ministers involved in the decision should be held politically and legally accountable for it.

The Cabinet’s decision was based on the recommendation of health authorities. During the Kuwaiti government’s weekly meeting the travel ban was announced on Kuwaitis, their first-degree relatives and domestic helpers as of May 22 if they did not receive the anti-coronavirus vaccine set by the Ministry of Health.

However, the MPs state it violates international law which states individuals should not be forced to be vaccinated. The MPs also claim it is a violation of the Kuwaiti Constitution which safeguards the citizens’ freedom to travel and move.

Non-Kuwaitis are still banned from entering the country.

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Kuwait: No Sponsor Approval Needed for Transferring Employees on Government Contracts

The Public Manpower Authority has announced they are preparing to issue stricter procedures to control the labour market and tackle the issue of marginal labourers to stop the issuing of fake residency permits.

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Kuwait: Auditing Bureau Given Financial and Administrative Independence

Kuwait’s Parliament has discussed amendments to the Auditing Bureau Law which if approved, would give the Chairman of the Bureau law enforcement powers. The Council approved the article which states the Bureau is a monitoring independent body which enjoys legal personality and administrative and financial independence. The Bureau also has the power to carry out all of the legal dealings necessary to achieve its objectives including concluding contracts, owning transferable and non-transferable monies and has the right to litigate.

Kuwait: Fees for Electronic Payments Should be Approved

Kuwait’s Central Bank has asked all service providers of electronic payment systems and their agents to get approval on the fees and commissions they charge for the services they offer to their customers. These businesses should charge fees for the services which represent a genuine benefit to customers. The Central Bank has issued these guidelines to regulate the electronic payment systems sector and set a suitable workflow to specify the fees and commission for this sector.