File - The most prominent modifications to the law, approved on Sunday by the Parliament, is the establishment of sole proprietorship companies
CAIRO – 27 December 2017: The Egyptian parliament has approved a number of legislations in 2017, some of which are controversial, while others are critical.
Wrapping up the year, Egypt Today looks back on the most important laws that passed in 2017.
New Health Insurance Law
Approval date: December 18, 2017.
Law status: Under this law, the government will fully cover the treatment of citizens who cannot afford it and will improve the quality of medical services in public hospitals by inspecting and supervising medical facilities.
Reactions to the law: A stormy debate was raised between the Egyptian Medical Syndicate and Members of Parliament. According to the syndicate, the burden is on the individual as the law raises monthly insurance fees. Besides, medical facilities will be privatized after they failed to meet quality standards set by the law to include them in the new insurance system.
Minister of Health, Ahmed Emad Eddin, justified the increase of the health budget to improve health services and make them more sustainable and stable.
Law regulating the use of drones
Approval date: December 18, 2017.
Law status: The new draft law makes the Ministry of Defense the sole authority responsible for licensing the use of drones and bans any individuals from importing, manufacturing, assembling, handling or trading drones without its permission.
Women’s new Inheritance Law
Approval date: December 5, 2017.
Law status: The new law was approved after some amendments were introduced to the 1943 Inheritance law to guarantee the inheritance rights for Egyptian women. The amendment proposes punishment of at least three years in prison and a fine ranging between LE 20,000-100,000 (around $1,119-5,595) to violators, including those who intentionally deprive heirs of their rightful inheritance.
Laws creating nuclear power regulatory bodies
Approval date: November 27, 2017.
Laws status: The three laws allow for the creation of the nuclear regulatory bodies ahead of the construction of Egypt’s first nuclear power plant which will be built at Dabaa, West of Alexandria.
Raising taxes on cigarettes
Approval date: November 21, 2017.
Law status: The parliament approved an amendment to the Value-Added Tax (VAT) Law to increase tariffs on cigarettes and hookah prices.
Trade Union Organization Law
Approval date: December 8, 2017.
Law status: The draft law stipulates that the trade union organizations established by law, and introduced by the Ministry of Manpower in 2016, shall retain their legal personality, retain all their property and continue to exercise their competences in order to achieve their objectives, in accordance with the provisions of the law.
Reactions to the law: A debate was raised between Members of the Parliament's Manpower Committee, their leader Gibali El-Maraghi, the legal advisor of the General Federation of Egyptian Trade Unions, Hosni Saad, and Representatives from the Ministry of Manpower.
The new law bans the formation of independent trade unions.
Law regulating gas market
Approval date: July 2017.
Law status: The new law aims to establish a gas regulatory authority that will attract more private sector companies to the country’s expanding gas sector to import and distribute gas within the country.
National Electoral Commission (NEC) Law
Approval date: July 2017
Law status: The new law aims to create the National Electoral Commission (NEC) that will be responsible for supervising elections and referendums by 2024.
Youth Institutions Law
Approval date: November 2017
Law status: The law bans youth from engaging in political or partisan activity within youth centers.
New Traffic Law
Approval date: 18 October 2017.
Law status: The draft law suggests establishing a point-based system. The license holder will be given 50 points. With each violation, he/she loses a point or more. Upon exceeding the speed limit, there are four penalties, depending on the travelled distance; the maximum fine is LE 500 ($28), and the driver would lose 2-5 points as a penalty.
Judicial Authority Law
Approval date: 16 April 2017.
Law status: The new law stipulates that President Abdel Fatah al-Sisi shall choose the heads of Egypt’s judicial bodies from three nominees proposed from within each body and ratify the legislation before it goes into effect.
Reactions to the law: It has raised the debate as various judges rejected it, suggesting that the law would violate the guarantee of an independent judiciary.
Anti-terrorism Laws
Approval date: July 2017.
Law status: The draft law was passed after amendments were introduced to the Criminal Procedure Laws, to procedures of appealing before the Court of Cassation, to legal procedures concerning terrorist entities and terrorism-related crimes, and to Emergency and Anti-Terrorism law.
Social and security Laws
Approval date: July 2017.
Law status: Among the laws approved in Parliament were the Law of Illegal Immigration and Human Trafficking, the Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) law, amendments to the Protest Law and a law regarding the hiring of the Heads of Judicial Authorities by the President.
Economy-related Laws
Approval date: July 2017.
Law status: Parliament approved the long-awaited Investment Law, Industrial Permit Act, Commercial Record Law and the Law of Organizing and Encouraging Industry, a required key part procedure for the state economic reform program.
Comments
Leave a Comment