Qatar: New Property Owners’ Draft Law Under Review

The Peninsula, 17 November 2025: Qatar’s Shura Council has referred a new draft law on Owners’ Association to its Legal and Legislative Affairs Committee for detailed examination.

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Qatar: Updates Customs Duty Exemption Rules for Travellers and Residents

The Peninsula, 2 November 2025: Qatar’s General Authority of Customs has outlined comprehensive duty exemption policies covering personal luggage, postal parcels, and household relocations, establishing clear guidelines for different categories of arrivals into the country.

Under the new regulations, travellers can bring personal items and gifts duty-free, provided individual gifts do not exceed QR3,000 in value. The policy permits specific allowances for tobacco products, including up to 400 cigarettes or 20 cigars, with a total value cap of QR3,000.

For postal items, the authority has set a duty-free threshold of QR1,000 for personal parcels and mailings. The exemption applies only to unrestricted items imported under an individual’s name.

The framework includes special provisions for household relocations. Qatari citizens returning from abroad may import used personal effects and household goods duty-free for personal use. Non-Qatari residents must import their household items within six months of arrival and provide employer documentation and residence permits.

New residents must also sign an agreement not to sell imported items for at least one year after entry, with penalties and duties applying for breaches. The authority notes that new household appliances or furniture may not qualify for exemption.

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Qatar: Mandates Digital Price Registration for All Retail Businesses

Mubasher, 26 October 2025: Qatar’s Ministry of Trade and Industry has issued a new directive requiring all commercial, industrial, and general retail establishments to register their product and service prices through the ministry’s online portal.

The mandate introduces compulsory digital price registration for all businesses operating in the Qatari market. Shop owners must now upload and maintain current pricing information for their goods and services on the official government platform.

Under the new regulation, businesses are required to input pricing data through the ministry’s website, making this information publicly accessible. The system aims to create a centralised database of retail prices across the country’s commercial sector.

The directive establishes a standardised approach to price transparency, requiring all retail establishments to comply with the digital registration process. This marks a significant shift from previous practices where price reporting mechanisms varied across different business sectors.

The ministry has confirmed that the new system will be mandatory for all commercial establishments, including retail shops, industrial facilities, and service providers. This

The implementation timeline and specific technical requirements for businesses to comply with this new digital registration system have been outlined in the ministry’s circular to affected establishments.

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Qatar: Approves New Law on International Treaties and Agreements

Qatar Tribune, 16 October 2025: The Qatari Cabinet has approved new legislation governing the procedures for international treaties and agreements, alongside several bilateral cooperation deals with foreign nations.

The draft law establishes a comprehensive framework for managing international agreements. It outlines specific procedures for concluding treaties and defines the roles of various government authorities in the process.

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Qatar: Cabinet Approves New Limits for Small Business Tender Exemptions

Qatar Tribune, 9 October 2025: The Qatari Cabinet has approved changes to exemption limits for micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) participating in government tenders.

The Cabinet also endorsed several international agreements, including: a mutual investment protection agreement with the Dominican Republic, membership in the WorldSkills Asia Organisation, a railway link agreement with Saudi Arabia and a development planning cooperation agreement with Kuwait.

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Qatar: New Digital Customs Archive System Launches

Qatar’s customs authority has implemented a new digital archiving system to centralise and automate its international customs documentation processes.

The system creates a unified database for customs documents and international cooperation procedures. It will manage records of regional and international meetings, customs agreements, and memoranda of understanding.

Using artificial intelligence technology, the platform analyses document content and provides enhanced security features that comply with current data protection standards.

The new digital archive introduces improved information-sharing capabilities between customs departments, allowing for more streamlined interdepartmental communication.

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Qatar: Drafts New Laws to Modernise Business Environment

Gulf Base, 25 September 2025: Qatar’s Ministry of Commerce and Industry is drafting three major pieces of legislation as part of efforts to update the country’s legal and business framework.

Ministry Undersecretary revealed plans for an updated public-private partnership law, a new foreign investment law, and a bankruptcy law.

The announcement came alongside details of recent reforms that have already streamlined business procedures in the Gulf state. New measures include automatic tax number generation upon commercial registration and simplified labour recruitment approvals.

The ministry has digitalised 95% of its services through a single-window platform and launched a new multilingual portal for investors. Foreign investors can now participate in more than 1,400 business activities across the country.

Recent reforms have also removed requirements to match commercial activities for imports and adopted a unified GCC customs tariff. Industrial incentives, including reduced leasing rates for industrial, logistics, and commercial land, are reportedly saving the private sector more than QR100 million annually.

Environmental permit processes have been simplified for 90% of industrial activities, whilst company incorporation procedures now include automatic generation of company cards and tax numbers upon registration.

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Qatar: Updates Building Telecoms Infrastructure Requirements

Qatar Tribune, 17 September 2025: Qatar’s Communications Regulatory Authority (CRA) has released new mandatory standards for telecommunications infrastructure in buildings, applying to both new construction and existing properties across the country.

The updated guidelines establish requirements for: In-building wiring systems, Mobile connectivity solutions, Internet service provision, IPTV infrastructure and Smart building capabilities.

The regulations cover multiple property types including: Single villas, Residential towers, Shopping centres, Warehouses, Labour accommodation and Large-scale developments.

Under the new framework, developers must collaborate with service providers during early planning stages to address design requirements. The standards outline specific technical specifications for telecommunications installations across different building categories.

The guidelines introduce streamlined procedures for: Infrastructure deployment, Service provider access, Building approval processes and System implementation.

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Qatar: Updates Legal Practice Law with Major Reforms

Al Arab, 12 September 2025: Qatar has introduced significant amendments to its Legal Practice Law through Qatar Law No. 19/2025, implementing substantial changes to regulations governing the legal profession.

The revised legislation includes several key practical changes: State Lawyers’ Authority The law reorganises the authority of state lawyers at the Ministry of Justice, allowing the State Cases Department to contract Qatari lawyers or seek external counsel for cases outside Qatar, subject to ministerial approval.

New Lawyers’ Admission Committee Structure: A restructured Lawyers’ Admission Committee will be chaired by the Minister of Justice and include two Court of Appeal judges, a public prosecutor, three lawyers, and two ministry representatives.

Extended Professional Activities: The amendments permit lawyers to register in the commercial registry and own shares in capital companies, provided they do not manage or directly engage in commercial activities.

Advertising Guidelines: Lawyers can now promote their services through traditional and electronic means, subject to committee-approved regulations, with disciplinary measures for violations.

Fee Arrangements: The new law allows direct fee agreements between lawyers and clients, with contingency fees capped at 25% of successful claim amounts.

Legal Aid Commission: A new Legal Aid Commission has been established under the Supreme Judicial Council to appoint lawyers for clients unable to afford legal fees.

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