New Rules Governing Operating Licen
New Rules Governing Operating Licenses: Wider Powers to the Minister of Industry in Granting Commercial and Industrial Licenses
As part of the continuous efforts by the Egyptian Government to simplify the procedures for doing business, Presidential Decree Number 160 of 2010 was issued - and published in the Official Journal on June 14th, 2010 - granting the Minister of Trade and Industry wider powers in issuing commercial and industrial licenses.
According to this Decree, the Minister of Trade and Industry will have the power of the Ministers of Local Government and of Housing with respect to the application of Law Number 453 of 1954 Pertaining to Industrial and Commercial Establishments, and Law Number 371 of 1956 Pertaining to Public Establishments. Accordingly, applicants for operating licenses for commercial or industrial establishments will no longer need to deal with local council approvals nor with housing approvals, and instead should be able to obtain their licenses directly from the Ministry of Trade and Industry.
The said Decree could potentially alter the way in which licenses are obtained, and make the whole process quicker. However, it should be noted that this is merely the creation of a short-cut, and that the provisions of the Laws referred to above - dating to the fifties of last century - have not been amended. A radical change will require the Laws themselves to change, not the authority that applies them.
As part of the continuous efforts by the Egyptian Government to simplify the procedures for doing business, Presidential Decree Number 160 of 2010 was issued - and published in the Official Journal on June 14th, 2010 - granting the Minister of Trade and Industry wider powers in issuing commercial and industrial licenses.
According to this Decree, the Minister of Trade and Industry will have the power of the Ministers of Local Government and of Housing with respect to the application of Law Number 453 of 1954 Pertaining to Industrial and Commercial Establishments, and Law Number 371 of 1956 Pertaining to Public Establishments. Accordingly, applicants for operating licenses for commercial or industrial establishments will no longer need to deal with local council approvals nor with housing approvals, and instead should be able to obtain their licenses directly from the Ministry of Trade and Industry.
The said Decree could potentially alter the way in which licenses are obtained, and make the whole process quicker. However, it should be noted that this is merely the creation of a short-cut, and that the provisions of the Laws referred to above - dating to the fifties of last century - have not been amended. A radical change will require the Laws themselves to change, not the authority that applies them.