The Ministry of Commerce and Industry (MoCI) has issued a circular on holding concerts, festivals, events and special gatherings, compelling contractors and providers of these services to seek consensual agreements with clients following the directives to ban concerts, festivals, events and special gatherings.
The circular falls in line with the ministry’s efforts to ensure stability in business transactions between suppliers and consumers while taking into account the interests of both parties and avoiding material damages that may be caused to any party due to the preventive and precautionary measures implemented by the state to curb the spread of the novel coronavirus (Covid-19), the MoCI said in a 
statement yesterday.
“Given that Covid-19 is considered a global pandemic and a force majeure that cannot be avoided or anticipated, which makes it difficult for some suppliers to fulfil their obligations towards consumers at the present time, and in line with this circular, the Ministry of Commerce and Industry calls on service providers to ratify new contracts that outline other dates to fulfil their obligations or to seek consensual agreements that take into account the interests of both parties with regard to the down-payments and financial instalments made to suppliers in return for assuming their obligations as agreed with consumers,” 
the ministry noted.
The MoCI has urged all suppliers to “adhere to the provisions of the circular and embrace this initiative in line with their social responsibility in support of the preventive and precautionary measures taken by the State to protect the health of all members of society”.
The ministry will intensify its inspection campaigns to ensure the compliance of parties concerned with their obligations as stipulated in the circular and to crack down on any violations in this regard.
Further, the MoCI noted that consumers play an important role in reporting any violations or infringements through the following communication channels: call centre: 16001, e-mail: [email protected], Twitter: @MOCIQATAR, Instagram: MOCIQATAR, and the ministry’s application on iPhone and Android devices: MOCIQATAR