DOHA - Qatar plans to end the dual licensing system for companies and introduce a single-window commercial registration (CR) system in a bid to simplify registration procedures.
Soon, companies will not be required to seek commercial registration separately from the Ministry of Municipality and Urban Planning and the Ministry of Business and Trade.
Instead, a single commercial registration certificate will be issued by the Ministry of Business and Trade, according to the Undersecretary at the Trade Ministry, H E Mohamed Hasan Al Saadi. "We are simplifying CR procedures and planning to merge the municipal and ministerial commercial registration systems. The merger will, though, take some time," Al Saadi told a local Arabic daily in an interview.
Outlets to issue commercial registration certificates will be opened in Al Wakra and Al Khor as well as part of a plan to further decentralise registration procedures.
Such an office already exists in Al Sadd and the fourth one will be opened near the Industrial Area to cater to companies based there as well as in Al Rayan and southern parts of the country.
Registration procedures have already been made simple and it does not take more than an hour or two to get a certificate, Al Saadi said.
Earlier, since the commercial registration certificates were issued at the ministry premises only, there used to be long queues. But after one more outlet was opened up the problem was eased. And with the opening of more offices in different places soon, getting a CR certificate is likely to become easier. Plans are also afoot to make sure that people can submit CR applications online in the near future and can also make changes in their already submitted Thapplications online.
By Jaber Al Musallam
© The Peninsula 2009
