In an interview with Qatar News Agency (QNA), the minister said the success of the first-ever World Cup in the Middle East and the Arab world will reflect Qatar’s civilisational, economic and cultural development and prosperity under the wise leadership of His Highness the Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani.
He said this unique World Cup edition will be a bright sign and a solid historical legacy for all citizens and residents in Qatar, and that it will inspire the World Cup fans and future generations.
Highlighting the ministry’s efforts to contribute to the success of this global event, he pointed to the ministry’s co-operation and co-ordination with various government agencies and private sectors to accelerate the launch of integrated initiatives and programmes in line with the provisions of Law No 10 of 2021 regarding measures to host the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022.
He said the ministry defined the mechanisms for the World Cup events and ways to facilitate procedures for entry visas, recruitment permits, work permits, and company registration.
The procedures also included tax and customs exemptions for some categories according to the limits determined by the minister of finance and government regulations.
These parties included the FIFA and its affiliated organisations, continental federations, national football associations, companies, the Supreme Committee for Delivery & Legacy (SC) and FIFA entities, suppliers of goods and contractors of its works, contractors of service providers, FIFA business partners, broadcasters, their employees and foreign nationals participating in activities.
In conjunction with these measures, the ministry co-operated with the concerned authorities to draft Law No 11 of 2021 on the protection of trademarks, copyrights and related rights of the FIFA, according to which the Industrial Property Protection Office, or the Office for the Protection of Copyright and Neighbouring Rights at the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, registers FIFA trademarks, audio recordings, performing artists, and FIFA radio programmes.
In this regard, the ministry registered more than 500 FIFA-related trademarks until June 2022, according to Law No 9 of 2002 on trademarks, trade names, geographical indications, and industrial designs and templates.
The ministry also registered nearly 180 other FIFA-related trademarks, under Law No. (11) of 2021. Hence, FIFA granted the rights to use its trademark to about 27 companies and commercial partners.
The minister highlighted the ministry’s workshops aimed at supporting intellectual property rights and providing the necessary protection for major international brands, and discussing ways to guarantee fair competition and prevent illegal abuses such as unauthorised promotional activities, and combating the sale of counterfeit goods and FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022-linked products without the consensus of the concerned authorities, and the unauthorised use of trademarks and designs affiliated with FIFA and the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022.
The workshops also discussed the tasks of judicial officers in the vicinity of stadiums during World Cup matches, ways to protect the trademarks and intellectual property rights of FIFA and the tournament sponsors, the World Cup designs and the rights of companies authorised to sell World Cup-related products, as well as mechanisms for identifying officially licensed products, and reviewing the in-stadium brand protection program during the tournament.
As part of its efforts to ensure readiness for effective dealing with investors and auditors during the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022, he affirmed the Ministry’s keenness, through the Single Window Services (SWS) and all supporting administrative units, to secure the necessary co-ordination with the concerned authorities to complete the auditors’ transactions.
He highlighted the role of the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 Services Center to facilitate procedures for commercial licencing and the establishment of companies concerned with working on World Cup projects, providing general trademark registration services and its contribution to accelerating transactions involving the various sectors of the ministry.
This centre provided 23 services in the industrial sector to back industrial projects and provide important investment incentives and benefits to support the industrial sector through various transactions.
In the commercial sector, it provided a single place to facilitate obtaining the necessary licences and registrations, support and assist investors in the planning and registration procedures and licenses for their commercial projects, in addition to diverse and fast services that meet all the needs of investors and customers.
In the consumer sector, it launched 28 exclusive and distinctive services, and issued the necessary licenses for sales and offers.
Commenting on the ministry’s readiness to meet the various needs of the local market during the tournament, the minister stressed the ministry’s preparedness to deal with the expected increase in demand for consumption in the local market at very high rates amid expectations to receive large numbers of fans and visitors.
The ministry took the necessary measures to set up, renew and gradually increase inventory of food, supply and consumer commodities within the framework of the ministry-run strategic inventory management and control system.
He highlighted the co-ordination with various concerned authorities and parties, particularly Al Meera Consumer Goods Company as a strategic partner to contribute to the success of this important event.
Under this co-ordination, the retail giant will secure sufficient stocks of products in high demand during the tournament, such as oils, rice, breakfast meals and foods, canned food, eggs, drinking water, detergents and paper products, etc.
He stressed that many Qatari strategic companies completed their stocks of commodities like frozen poultry, eggs, frozen meat, bottled water, vegetables and fruits, at a time when the whole world faces huge challenges in the production and availability of foodstuffs, high prices of inputs and the continued supply chains disruptions and other obstacles and challenges which Qatar managed to reign in.
He also stressed the key role played by the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 Food Security Emergencies Follow-up Centre, which aims to respond quickly to any shortages in foodstuff and consumer goods and overcome any difficulties or challenges facing the parties participating in the tournament.
He highlighted the package of laws introduced to boost foreign investments as part of the state’s keenness to provide foreign investors with the opportunity to participate in the implementation of economic projects, especially those related to the activities of the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022.
The ministry is also intensifying its efforts to promote and attract foreign investments, with the ministry giving priority to investment requests submitted by foreign companies through the “Invest in Qatar” centre, and facilitates their procedures, whether for the Ministry or the relevant government agencies.
He added that the “1000 Opportunities” initiative represents a true nucleus for linking investment opportunities with foreign supplying companies, and opening a communication channel between them and local companies to benefit from the localisation of some industries, whether in supply chains or contracting for FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 projects.
The minister pointed out that a number of local and foreign companies submitted about 700 requests during the past six months, and that a number of local companies signed procurement contracts with more than QR600mn.
At the same time, the Ministry of Commerce and Industry made great efforts to support Qatari industries and expand and diversify their fields, in order to achieve self-sufficiency, by launching several initiatives aimed at urging Qatari industrial establishments to raise their production capacity of national goods in order to meet the needs of consumers during the World Cup activities and in a manner that supports the arrival of national goods and products to the largest number of sales outlets in the country, he said.
The minister added that about 50% of the on-display items were allocated for Qatari products, and that co-ordination was made with more than 30 governmental and semi-governmental agencies to give priority to national products and increase their purchases.
He said the remarkable turnout for investment in non-traditional sectors, particularly the industrial sector, proves the success of the state’s plans to support and enhance the contribution of national companies to achieving self-sufficiency for the State, with about 835 factories currently operating in the country.
The industrial facilities established in 2022 brought the total number of locally-made products to about 1142 products, he said, reiterating co-operation with all concerned authorities to reach the best preparations for the first-ever World Cup in the Middle East and the Arab world. (QNA)
