The Minister of Economy in front of "Al-Watani": We monitor the prices of 114 food commodities per week
389 billion dirhams government support for the recovery of small and medium enterprises from the effects of "Corona"
The council approved a draft federal law on the regulation and protection of industrial property rights. From source
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The Minister of Economy, Abdullah Al-Marri, stated that the Ministry’s inspection teams have carried out more than 171,600 inspection and monitoring campaigns on the markets, to follow up on prices and services provided to consumers, during the past year, which resulted in a violation of 4,631 establishments, stressing that the ministry’s efforts in monitoring markets during the pandemic « Corona »contributed to lowering the country's inflation rates.
The minister revealed, during the Federal National Council session, which was held yesterday, at the headquarters of the Council in Abu Dhabi, that government teams affiliated to the ministry monitor and monitor 114 food commodities in the state's markets on a weekly basis, with the aim of controlling prices and intervening in the event of an unjustified increase.
During the session, during which the members approved a draft federal law regarding the regulation and protection of industrial property rights, the Minister of State for Entrepreneurship and Small and Medium Enterprises, Dr. Ahmed Belhoul Al Falasi, confirmed that the ministry had formed a committee to recover small and medium enterprises in the country from the effects of the Corona pandemic. Three phases of recovery have been identified, of which the first phase has been largely completed, and packages have been provided for this sector worth 389 billion dirhams, including 256 billion at the central bank level, to support loans and reduce installments.
In detail, the Federal National Council approved, during its session held yesterday at the council’s headquarters in Abu Dhabi, headed by the council’s president, Saqr Ghobash, on a draft federal law regarding the regulation and protection of industrial property rights, which aims to protect industrial property and regulate the procedures for its registration, use, exploitation and assignment In a manner that ensures support for knowledge and innovation in the country, and enhances the state's competitiveness in the field of industrial property rights in accordance with international best practices.
And the draft law thickened the penalties, and stipulated that without prejudice to any more severe penalty stipulated in any other law, a penalty of imprisonment and a fine of not less than 100 thousand dirhams and not more than one million dirhams, or one of these two penalties, shall be imposed on anyone who submits documents or provides incorrect information. Or forged to obtain a patent, a utility certificate, an industrial design, or an integrated circuit diagram, as well as anyone who imitates an invention or manufacturing method, or intentionally infringes any right protected by this law.
The session, which was attended by the ministers of human resources and Emiratisation, Nasser bin Thani Al-Hamili, and economy, Abdullah bin Touq Al-Marri, and the State for Entrepreneurship and Small and Medium Enterprises, Dr. Ahmed Abdullah Belhoul Al Falasi, directed five parliamentary questions to government representatives, including two questions to the Minister of Human Resources and Emiratisation. From the first deputy chairman of the council, Hamad Al-Rahoumi, on the reasons for the continuing work of some old offices for the recruitment of assistive workers, despite the creation of “Tadbeer” service centers.
The Minister of Human Resources and Emiratisation revealed that the Ministry had closed 250 offices for the recruitment of assistive workers in various parts of the country, as soon as the licenses of those offices expired, as part of the plan to replace the offices of recruiting helpers, and to replace them with “Tadbeer” service centers.
The minister said, “There are 54 Tadbeer service centers spread across the state’s emirates, all of which operate in the service of bringing in assistive workers,” indicating that the owners of Tadbeer offices have been given priority in bringing in assistive workers, in an effort to limit the illegal recruitment of labor.
He added that “the old auxiliary service offices have been in existence for 30 years, prior to the enactment of the decree of a federal law on assistive workers, which limits unacceptable abuses and preserves the dignity of assistive workers,” pointing out that the ministry has developed a gradual plan to close the old offices once the license expires. Of which.
The minister explained that only 10 old labor recruitment offices remain in the country currently, whose license will expire next March, then the state will end a period that extended for 30 years in this field, to start a new era regulated by the law, pointing out that 99 violating offices have been referred to the violations system. The departments of economic development in the emirates of the country were addressed to monitor these offices, and to refer the observed violations to the legal authorities.
The minister stated that the ministry met with officials of the "Tadbeer" centers recently to discuss mechanisms to reduce costs for those centers, especially in light of what it suffered during the period of the "Covid-19" pandemic, stressing that the ministry is actually seeking to reduce the operational costs of those centers, through Review the cost annually, in a manner that does not affect the requirements of the Domestic Workers Law.
In response to a question from a member of the Council, Shatha Saeed Al-Naqbi, regarding “the ministry’s procedures to reduce the phenomenon of work during the deprivation period,” Al-Hamli stated that the work relationship between the employer and the worker is a contractual relationship, and it is established between the two parties under a fixed-term or indefinite work contract. Also, this relationship is based on satisfaction and transparency between them, and each of them has rights and duties consistent with the laws and legislations in force in the country.
He explained that the Ministry does not interfere in this relationship except in the event that one of the parties breaches legal obligations, by taking appropriate legal measures according to each case, stressing that the Ministry does not allow any private establishment registered with it to use any worker who has been suspended for a year, starting from the date of his departure The state, in implementation of the provisions of Articles 182 and 192 of the law, whereby the Ministry shares the Federal Authority for Identity and Citizenship electronically with the data of this factor and the decision taken towards it.
The minister said, "The procedures followed prevent the possibility of any fraudulent practices in this regard, especially since the ministry does not issue any work permits for the use of the workers referred to in private sector establishments registered with the ministry until after the specified period of time has passed, even if they enter the country on a visit visa." .
He added: “As for workers who spend a period of deprivation obtaining work permits with other quasi-governmental bodies, this matter falls within the jurisdiction of the Federal Authority for Identity and Citizenship, as it is the body that specializes in issuing visitor visas as well, calling on employers in the event that they find that the issued worker has joined He is entitled to a decision to suspend, in an establishment, to work for it, to file a labor complaint, and to demand compensation for damages resulting from this worker’s infliction on another employer.
The Minister of Economy, Abdullah bin Touq Al-Marri, received three parliamentary questions, the first from a member of the council, Obaid Al-Salami, regarding “measures to limit price hikes in unusual circumstances,” where he confirmed that Federal Decree Law No. (15) of 2020 regarding consumer protection Granting the Ministry of Economy wide supervisory powers to play its role in controlling prices in the state’s markets, especially in times of crisis and events, indicating that the Ministry’s inspection teams have implemented, since the issuance of the new law, and over the past year, 171,650 inspection and monitoring campaigns on markets to monitor prices and services Provided to consumers.
The minister said: “The inspection and monitoring campaigns resulted in a violation of 4,631 establishments, as part of the ministry’s efforts to control prices, and to ensure that the best services and products are provided to consumers of the state and residents of the country.”
And the minister added: “The UAE’s economy is a free economy, and this means that the relevant authorities in the country do not interfere in the work of establishments operating in this sector, unless there is an unjustified increase in prices, or in unusual economic conditions,” stressing that the ministry’s teams monitor 114 food commodities within the state's markets on a weekly basis, with the aim of controlling prices and intervening in the event of an unjustified increase.
The Minister of State for Entrepreneurship and Small and Medium Enterprises, Dr. Ahmed Belhoul Al Falasi, responded to a question from the member, Sabreen Al Yamahi, about the role of the Ministry of Economy in supporting citizen entrepreneurs who own projects and small and medium enterprises to save them from the losses they incur due to the repercussions of the (Covid 19) pandemic, saying: “The Corona pandemic began as a health pandemic, and its great economic effects soon appeared on the world, as the global economy shrank by more than 4.4% globally, and the UAE was affected by this contraction, and small and medium enterprises in the country represent the backbone of the national economy, especially since these companies constitute 52% of Non-oil GDP, providing 750,000 jobs.
He added: “The ministry is concerned with coordination between all relevant sectors, then it formed a committee to recover from the effects of the pandemic, and it has identified three stages of recovery, of which the first phase has been completed with a large percentage, and packages have been provided for this sector worth 389 billion dirhams, of which 256 billion are at the bank’s level. Central, to support loans and reduce installments », pointing out that the ministry established a National Business Administration Council, to coordinate between the national program in the ministry and local authorities concerned with citizen entrepreneurs and national enterprise support institutions. About 368 companies benefited from this stage directly, and about 1675 new establishments They were created during the crisis, and during the next phase, Emirates Development Bank will provide direct support to citizens to provide investment loans in easy installments.
The cost of bringing in assistive workers
Regarding the recent increase in the cost of recruiting assistive workers, the Minister of Human Resources and Emiratisation, Nasser bin Thani Al Hamli, said: “Without a doubt, the cost has been affected by the Corona pandemic, but the UAE remains a pioneer in opening new markets, as We have signed memoranda of understanding with 10 countries regarding assistive workers, which provides more alternatives and options in the recruitment of assistive workers, so that prices in the UAE remain much better than their counterparts, compared to neighboring countries.
Shares of cooperative societies
The First Deputy Chairman of the Council, Hamad Al-Rahoumi, addressed a question to the Minister of Economy, Abdullah bin Touq Al-Marri, about setting a minimum price for the shares of some consumer cooperative societies. The minister replied: “The Ministry is working on a comprehensive review of the practices of the associations, and this matter will be raised according to The new law, ”expressing his thanks to the member for this proposal,“ and everything that the member proposed in the new law will be reviewed, and practices will be reviewed, and cooperation with the societies in this matter will be reviewed. ”
10
Old labor recruitment offices in the country whose licenses will expire next March.
4631
A facility that was violated last year as part of campaigns to follow up on prices and services provided.
Dr. Ahmed Al Falasi:
"Small and medium enterprises constitute 52% of the non-oil GDP, and provide 750 thousand jobs."
Abdullah bin Touq Al-Marri:
"The economy of the UAE is free, and the concerned authorities in the country do not interfere in the work of the establishments."
A gradual plan to close the old help desks, as soon as the license for any of them expires.
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