Qatar: Qatar Decree-Law No. 21/2020 On Private Associations and Institutions
Qatar’s Shoura Council has approved the Private Associations and Institutions Decree-Law (Qatar Decree-Law No. 21/2020). They approved it after discussing a report from the Public Services and Utilities Committee on it. It defines an association as a group which is composed of several natural or legal persons who participate together to carry out a social, cultural, scientific, educational, or professional activity, without seeking a profit. It also defines the professional association as an association consisting of the owners of one profession regulated by law. In addition, it defines a private enterprise as a private establishment set up by one or more natural or legal persons to achieve one or more charitable or public or private benefit purposes without looking to make a profit. Finally, it specifies the conditions for establishing an association, its founding contract requirements, its articles of association, how to register it, its objectives, the license period and aspects related to its management, finances and control of its business. They have referred it to the Government to consider.