Doha: The State of Qatar has participated in the virtual preparatory meetings of the Undersecretaries of Ministries of Commerce and Industry in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries. Representing Qatar was HE Undersecretary of the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, Mohammed bin Hassan Al Malki.
According to Qatar News Agency, the Undersecretaries of Commerce from the GCC countries discussed a range of topics on the agenda of the 63rd preparatory meeting. The discussions included updates on negotiations for free trade agreements with various countries and international blocs, developments in commercial laws within the GCC countries, and regulations on competition, e-commerce, and digital commerce. The participants also addressed the Gulf Virtual Business Incubator and the General Secretariat's memorandum concerning the work of the committees affiliated with the Trade Cooperation Committee. These committees include the Small and Medium Enterprises and Entrepreneurship Committee, the Internal Trade Committee, the Consumer Protection Committee, and the Foreign Trade Committee. Matters related to the Patent Office at the General Secretariat were also on the agenda, leading to appropriate decisions and recommendations.
In parallel sessions, the Undersecretaries from the Ministries of Industry of the GCC countries discussed several topics for the 48th preparatory meeting. A key focus was the finalization of the definition of a Gulf national product and the Omani-Kuwaiti proposal to address localization standards across industrial sectors. Discussions also revolved around draft regulations for exemptions for Gulf national products, associated penalties, procedures, and lists of goods subject to collective protection.
The meetings also delved into the requirements following the launch of the Gulf Industrial Platform, a proposal to extend the decision to raise customs duties on reinforcing steel and steel coils, and the work of the Technical Secretariat Office for Combating Harmful Practices in International Trade. Cooperation between the Industrial Cooperation Committee and the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) was reviewed, along with the outcomes of a study to promote five joint Gulf industrial investment opportunities. Additionally, a study to identify critical basic products and raw materials in the Gulf industrial sector was discussed, with necessary decisions and recommendations being adopted.
On the sidelines, HE the Undersecretary of the Ministry of Commerce and Industry participated in the second meeting of the Standing Committee for Patent Affairs, held virtually, along with members of the Standing Committee and the Director General of the Patent Center at the General Secretariat. Key topics included the patent office's operational model, the joint Gulf action strategy in patents, and the initiative to establish a Gulf patent platform. His Excellency also attended the first regular session of the Executive Bureau of the Gulf Organization for Industrial Consulting for 2026, where agenda items were reviewed and recommendations adopted.