Chambers of Commerce Law

Purpose and scope

• Regulates chambers of commerce as non-profit bodies that develop business and represent it before government (Article 2), with one chamber per administrative region (Article 3).

Key rules, rights and obligations

• A chamber has legal personality and financial and administrative independence under ministry supervision, and may not carry on commercial activity (Article 4).
• A chamber consists of the general assembly, the board and the secretariat (Article 7), and the general assembly elects two-thirds of the board (Article 9).
• Every business on the commercial register must join the chamber covering its head office or a branch, with one subscription regardless of the number of branches (Article 29).
• Subscription fees fall due three years after registration in the commercial register (Article 30).

Violations, penalties and common problems

• A chamber does not serve non-members, and services stop for members who have not paid the annual subscription (Article 31).
• The chair and board members answer to the general assembly for misuse or waste of chamber funds (Article 25).
• No sum may be spent without, or beyond, a budget allocation (Article 36).

Procedures and key deadlines

• The general assembly meets at least once a year within ninety days of the end of the financial year (Article 10).
• Membership ends when the commercial registration is struck off or the licence expires, with no refund for the remaining period (Article 32).

An advisory summary prepared by Al-Bayan Al-Wadih Law Firm. It is not an official text and does not replace the law, its implementing regulations, or advice from a specialised lawyer. The official published text and its amendments prevail.