The Ministry of Economy and Commerce (MEC) on Tuesday said it intensified its surprise inspection campaigns in January, targeting industrial commercial shops, public stores and street vendors on the Corniche and in other places across the country.
The campaigns resulted in the imposition of penalties for 17 violations, the MEC said in a press statement.
Seven penalties were imposed for violations such as missing front signs on shops and the failure to meet general and special requirements related to the registry and commercial licences law, the statement noted. The violators were fined.
Another 10 penalties were imposed on a number of street vendors for conducting business activities without obtaining a commercial licence. The offenders were referred to the competent authorities for legal proceedings.
In the statement, the MEC said it aims - through such campaigns - to monitor the compliance of suppliers with their obligations under Law No 5 of 2015 on industrial commercial shops, public stores and street vendors, as well as their commitment to Ministerial Decision No 243 of 2016 on licences and regulations for street vendors. “The inspection campaigns come within the framework of the ministry’s efforts to monitor compliance with laws and regulations governing commercial activities in order to uncover and crack down on violations,” it added.
Within the framework of efforts undertaken to regulate the business environment and create an appropriate investment environment for the private sector and entrepreneurs, HE the Minister of Economy and Commerce had earlier launched an initiative to regulate the work of street vendors by specifying permissible activities as well as requirements, standards and conditions for issuing a licence.
The initiative aims to improve the quality of services offered to the public and guarantee compliance with laws and regulations governing various commercial activities.
The MEC stressed that it would not tolerate any violations of Law No 5 of 2015 and Ministerial Decision No 243 of 2016, and would intensify its inspection campaigns to crack down on violations. The ministry will refer those who violate laws and ministerial decrees to the competent authorities, who will, in turn, take appropriate action against the perpetrators in order to protect consumer rights.
The ministry has urged all consumers to report violations or submit complaints and suggestions through the call centre: 16001, email: [email protected], Twitter: MEC_QATAR, Instagram: MEC_QATAR and the mobile app for Android and iOS: MEC_Qatar.
