Qatar: Amendments to Implementing Regulations to Civil Human Resources Law Approved

Al-Sharq, 20 April 2022: Qatar’s Cabinet has approved a draft Decision to amend the Implementing Regulations to the Civil Human Resources Law.

The amendments include increasing the value of marriage advances from 100,000 to 300,000 Riyals for all Qatari employees.

The aim is to encourage young Qataris to marry and help them do so.

They also approved a draft Ministerial Decision to define the entry and exit ports to the country.

Finally, they approved a draft agreement on mutual administrative assistance for the optimal implementation of the Customs Law and the suppression, investigation and control of customs crimes between Qatar and Azerbaijan. For full story, click here.

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Qatar: National Product Mark Law Approved

The Peninsula, 13 April 2022: Qatar’s Cabinet has approved draft laws regulating the licensing of the use of a national product mark and its Implementing Regulations.

The draft law is consistent with the strategy of supporting national products, distinguishing them from other products and giving them priority in Government procurement.

They also approved a draft Ministerial Decision on entry visas for hosting the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022.

Also reported in Lusail on 13 April 2022. For full story, click here.

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Qatar: Business Map Portal Launched

The Peninsula, 25 March 2022: Qatar’s Commerce and Industry Ministry has announced it has launched the Qatar Business Map portal.

It is available on the Ministry’s website.

It has been launched in line with Qatar Law No. 1/2020 (the Unified Economic Register Law).

It aims to support the transparency of economic and financial transactions by compiling basic information, data  and documents for economic establishments, legal arrangements and non-profit organisations and freelancers.

It also aims to make them available to the public and stakeholders in line with Financial Action Task Force requirements.

The portal provides a comprehensive database for users, allowing them to view the investment advantages of Qatar’s various regions through a search service for commercial establishments per region and for various commercial activities.

A QR code will be included on the documents issued via the Ministry’s Single Window platform in order to assist the relevant authorities in viewing the commercial registration data and verifying    their validity and accuracy. It is a database for entrepreneurs and investors to facilitate their access to target customers. It aims to help users select the ideal location to establish a business and choose a lucrative business activity. It also helps identify the location of potential competitors.

It helps find residential areas for entrepreneurs and investors to establish their commercial activities as well as analysing the location to understand the target customer base and measure the feasibility of the commercial project in a specific area.

It is aimed at assisting the relevant authorities by reducing the levels of misleading data submitted to the relevant authorities by some companies. This will help ensure the validity and accuracy of  commercial registration data and release commercial companies from having to use the  company’s  seal to stamp the requests submitted to the relevant entities to obtain their services.

It also aims to help them by exempting the relevant companies from obtaining the seal and manual  signature of the relevant administrative units at the Commerce and Industry Ministry to ensure accuracy and validity of data of the commercial registers where they refer back to the relevant authorities and enable the relevant authorities to confirm the accuracy of documents by scanning the QR code on the official documents issued by the Ministry.

It also provides statistics on the number of commercial licenses registered in each municipality, new and signed-off commercial licenses and the latest commercial establishments registered in Qatar.

It can be accessed via https://businessmap.moci.gov.qa. Also reported in Al-Sharq on 24 March 2022. For full story, click here.

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Qatar: Draft Right to Information Law Reviewed

The Peninsula, 21 March 2022: Qatar’s Shoura Council has reviewed the draft right to information law.

It was referred to them by the Cabinet.

They have decided to refer it to the Council’s Legal and Legislative Affairs Committee to consider and report back on.

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Qatar: Fire and Life Safety Manual Launched

The Peninsula, 4 March 2022: Qatar’s General Directorate of Civil Defence has announced it has launched an updated fire and life safety manual.

The manual is contained in the Civil Defence Technical Requirements Manual 2022. It includes all of the engineering requirements related to prevention systems in buildings. It has also been updated to keep up with urban developments in the country.

The guidelines will be enforceable.

At the launch of the manual, the General Directorate of Civil Defence organised a technical workshop for specialists to introduce the design and construction requirements for fire prevention control systems. In addition, technological developments related to firefighting systems, conditions approved by the relevant authorities in the country and the updated technical requirements to improve safety and protection systems in buildings and facilities were also discussed in the workshop.

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Qatar: Fees for Investment and Trade Court Approved in Principle

The Peninsula, 10 February 2022: Qatar’s Cabinet has approved a draft Decision specifying the fees for lawsuits, requests and guarantees at the Investment and Trade Court.

The draft Decision has been approved as part of the implementation of the Investment and Trade Court Law.

It was promulgated by Qatar Law No. 21/2021.

They also approved a draft Decision amending Qatar Decision No. 73/2014 establishing the permanent committee to monitor fuel filling and storage stations in the country.

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Qatar International Court and Dispute Resolution Centre Amends Small Claims Regime

The Peninsula, 2 February 2022: Qatar’s International Court and Dispute Resolution Centre has announced it has amended its small claims regime.

The amendments are contained in Practice Direction No. 1/2022 which comes into force on 1 March 2022.

The amendments substantially reduce the time for a judgment to be reached.

The Centre has announced it will allocate small claims worth up to 100,000 Riyals to a specialist small claims track in the First Instance Circuit of the Court.

Filing fees will not be charged and new small claims will be determined on the basis of the papers or virtually via a remote hearing, instead of a physical hearing in Court.

Once a case has been allocated to the small claims track and issued by the Registry, a claimant will have seven days to serve the Claim Form and any supporting documentation on the defendant. Previously they had four months.

In another significant change, the defendant will now have 14 days instead of 28 days to respond.

The aim is to continue streamlining the judicial process for all of the parties.

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Qatar: Subsidised Commodities and Prices Decision Issued

Al-Sharq, 19 January 2022: Qatar’s Cabinet has decided to approve the draft law on determining the subsidised commodities and the maximum bracket for their prices and the groups of beneficiaries.

The aim is to continue Government support in terms of commodities and animal feed as a strategic option and implement Qatar Law No. 5/2017 on regulating the trading of subsidised commodities.

The Cabinet also approved a draft decision to amend amending Qatar Decision No. 32/2013 on naming the chairman and the members of the Grievances Committee in the Qatar Financial Markets Authority. For full story, click here.

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Qatar: Financial System Integrity Laws Being Considered

The Peninsula, 13 January 2022: The Director of Control and Development Department at the Administrative Control and Transparency Authority has announced laws to protect the integrity of the country’s financial system are being considered.

They aim to provide the right to access information and tackle conflicts of interest.

The aim is to keep up with relevant technological developments.

They made the announcement on the sidelines of the FinTech Summit Middle East.

The Summit was organised by the Qatar Association of Certified Public Accountants.

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Qatar: Qatar Financial Centre Regulatory Authority (QFCRA) Proposes Amendments to Prudential Framework for Conventional QFC Authorised Banks

The Qatar Financial Centre Regulatory Authority has announced it has launched a consultation on the proposed Banking Business Prudential (Counterparty Credit Risk) and Miscellaneous Amendments Rules 2022. It ends on 31 March 2022.

Any amendments will be made to the Banking Business Prudential Rules 2014.

The prudential banking framework which applies to banks in the QFC is largely based on the international framework developed by the Basel Committee on Banking Supervision. In June this year, the Regulatory Authority issued a consultation paper on the Banking Business Prudential (Credit Risk and related Matters) Amendments Rules 2021. The Regulatory Authority did not include its proposals for rules concerning counterparty credit risk in that consultation.

The Regulatory Authority has now completed its work to develop draft Rules and is now proposing new prudential requirements for counterparty credit risk and exposures to central counterparties.

The Regulatory Authority is also proposing a minor change to the General Rules 2006 in terms of auditor appointment notification requirements. The aim is to clarify the notification requirements for when the appointment of an auditor ends.  Article 91 of the QFC Financial Services Regulations requires an auditor to notify the Regulatory Authority about all issues related to their employment.

In addition, the Regulatory Authority is proposing to clarify the FSR requirement in the GENE Rules so auditors are clear about the circumstances where the notification requirement applies. The consultation ends on 28 February 2022.

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