Cabinet Holds Regular Weekly Meeting

HE Prime Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Nasser bin Khalifa Al-Thani chaired on Wednesday the Cabinet's regular weekly meeting at its Emiri Diwan premises.
After the meeting, HE Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of State for Cabinet Affairs Ahmed bin Abdullah Al Mahmoud said that the Cabinet reviewed topics on the agenda and took a number of decisions and measures.
The Cabinet approved a draft law on selective tax. The Ministry of Finance prepared the draft law in accordance with the GCC unified agreement for selective tax, and the GCC Supreme Council decision issued in the 37th session held recently in the Kingdom of Bahrain. The decision stipulates the imposition of selective tax uniformly between the GCC countries according to the schedule of goods and percentages set in that resolution.
Under the provision of the draft law, the selective tax will be imposed on goods harmful to human health and the environment, and the luxury goods produced domestically or imported and set forth in the table attached to the law, and in accordance with the tax rates specific to it.
The Council of Minister may issue a decision for an amendment to the mentioned list of goods and the tax ratios.
The draft law includes provisions concerning the maturity date of the selective tax, cases where selective goods are presented for consumption, the value of selective goods, the persons in charge of application of the provisions of this law, registration for tax purposes and recognition of and commitment to maintenance of accounting books and records regularly for recording the movement of selective goods, the tax assessment on the basis of the recognition of tax and installed data, cases of suspension of tax and its recovery and exemption, and the confidential information and financial sanctions.
The Cabinet also approved draft decisions of HE the Minister of Transport and Communications on: registration of marine vessels, controls of operation of marine vessels, and the equipment and tools needed for the achievement of security conditions and maritime safety.
The Ministry of Transport and Communications prepared the above mentioned draft decisions in the context of the completion of the necessary decisions to give effect to the provisions of Law No. (8) of 2016 on marine vessels.
The Cabinet took the necessary measures for the ratification the following: 1- Paris Agreement on climate change.
2- Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for cooperation in the field of organizing exhibitions between the Government of the State of Qatar and the Government of the Republic of Turkey. 
3- MoU for cooperation in the field of information and communications technology between the Ministry of Transport and Communications in the State of Qatar and the Ministry of Transport, Maritime Affairs and Communications of the Republic of Turkey. 
4- MoU for cooperation in the field of standardization between the Qatar General Organization for Standards and Metrology in the State of Qatar and the Turkish Standards Institute in the Republic of Turkey. 
5- MoU for cooperation in the field of health and medical science between the Government of the State of Qatar and the Government of the Republic of Turkey. 
The Cabinet reviewed a letter by HE the Minister of Environment and Municipality about a draft law includes identification and control of health requirements to be met in some facilities.
The Cabinet also reviewed a memo by HE the Minister of Justice on the outcome of the 32nd session of the Arab Justice Ministers Council, and the Coordination Meeting of the GCC Ministers of Justice (Cairo, November 2016).
The Cabinet discussed a memo by HE the Minister of Administrative Development, Labor and Social Affairs on the outcome of the 45th coordination meeting of the GCC Ministers of Social Affairs Council, held on the sidelines of the 36th session of the Arab Social Affairs Ministers Council (Cairo, December 2016). 
The Cabinet also reviewed a letter by the National Committee on Arms Embargo on the 36th report on the Committee works from 1/9 to 31/12, 2016. 
In light of the Cabinet's follow-up for the work of specialized ministerial groups, HE the Minister of Economy and Trade and head of the ministerial group to stimulate the participation of the private sector in economic development projects, provided a detailed presentation on storage areas and logistics areas projects, food security projects, central markets projects (Umm Salal, Al Wakrah, Al Sayliyah), hospitals and schools projects, tourism projects, and the partnership between the public sector and the private sector. HE the Minister explained the procedures of implementation, the progress and the cost of each project. 
HE the Prime Minister stressed the importance of following up the implementation of HH the Emir's directives to support the private sector to take part in the economic development projects, in accordance with the National Development Strategy of the State of Qatar. 
HE the Prime Minister directed to re-evaluate the cost of infrastructure projects and the rental value of land in areas of economic projects, and the completion of all projects on schedule.

Source: QNA