The Cabinet, chaired by HE Sheikh Khalid bin Khalifa bin Abdulaziz Al Thani, Prime Minister and Minister of Interior, in its regular meeting held yesterday afternoon at the Amiri Diwan, has approved a draft law on combating the concealment of non-Qatari practice of commercial, economic and professional activities in violation of the law, and referred it to the Shura Council.

The preparation of the draft law comes to replace Law No. 25 of 2004 and within the framework of modernizing legislation, creating an investment environment based on transparency, and consolidating the practice of activities in accordance with the provisions of the laws in force in the country.

Under the provisions of the draft, any non-Qatari person, whether a natural or legal person is prohibited from doing the following:

• To practice or invest in a commercial, economic or professional activity that she/he is not licensed to practice or invest in according to the laws in force in the State.

• Obtaining percentages of profits that exceed the percentages stipulated in the company's incorporation document or its articles of association.

It is also prohibited for any natural or legal person to cover up a non-Qatari person by enabling them to practice or invest in a commercial, economic or professional activity in violation of the provisions of the laws in force in the country, whether by allowing them to use the name of the one who covers up, their license, or their commercial or professional record, or by any other method that enables them to evade their obligations under the laws in force in the country, and whether this is done for the account of the person being covered up or the one who covers up or others.

Source: Hukoomi Government of Qatar