This week the spotlight is on employment and transport developments in United Arab Emirates where the annual summer midday outdoor working ban has begun in the UAE and Saudi Arabia. The annual three-month ban on outdoor work has started. In the UAE the ban runs from 15 June to 15 September when workers are not permitted to work outside between the hours of 12.30 and 3pm. The ban in Saudi runs at the same time but outdoor working there is forbidden between 12 and 3pm, except for those working in the oil and gas industries or emergency services. (Although employers in those sectors are still required to ensure their workers have adequate protection from the sun. The Saudi Labour Ministry has set up a special hotline for reporting employers violating these rules and have warned those who do so will face heavy penalties.

Elsewhere, officials at Abu Dhabi’s Integrated Transport Centre have announced owners of abandoned cars will be fined 1,000 AED and have their vehicle impounded. The Centre, together with the Abu Dhabi Municipality is cracking down on vehicles abandoned in car parks and outside villas amongst other places. An awareness campaign has been launched and notices to owners of abandoned cars have started to be issued. The notices give abandoned car owners three days to remove or clean them. Unattended car owners will have 24 hours to remove them. The rules will also apply to trailers and boats. If the fine is paid in two weeks, a 25% discount will be given to vehicle owners.

This week the spotlight is on immigration and ecclesiastical developments in United Arab Emirates where the President of UAE has issued instructions to authorities on the position of mixed Emirati-Qatari families. Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, the UAE and Egypt have severed ties with Qatar and announced that Qatari nationals had 14 days to leave the country. As a result many Emirati-Qatari joint families feared that this would mean their families would be split up. However, the UAE, along with Saudi Arabia and Bahrain, announced measures that take into account such humanitarian circumstances of citizens who have married Qatari nationals and they are allowed to stay with their families. Affected families have been told to call a hotline +9718003626. UAE borders and airports have also been told not to prevent any Qatari national with first degree Emirati relatives from passing through. It has also been confirmed by Saudi authorities that Qataris going on Haj and Umrah pilgrimages would not be stopped from entering Saudi Arabia.

The UAE Federal Human Resources Department has announced that the Eid holiday for federal ministries and authorities starts on Saturday 24 June 2017 and up to Tuesday 27 June 2017 if Eid was on 25th June 2017. However, if Eid is Monday 26 June 2017 the Eid holiday starts from 24th June 2017 and ends Thursday 29th June.

This week as a result of a diplomatic incident, Bahrain, the Comoros, Djibouti, Egypt, Jordan, Libya, Maldives, Mauritania, Mauritius, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, United Arab Emirates, Yemen have taken a range of steps cutting ties with Qatar which have had a legal impact on a whole host of areas including immigration, transport, banking, contracts and consumer law.
We have published 11 stories and analysis this week on those various issues.

Saudi Arabia: Qatari Riyal Payments Prohibited

Source: Arabian Business and published via our Middle East Newspaper Index service. This has also been alerted to customers via email.

Saudi Arabia’s Monetary Agency has reportedly told banks in the Kingdom they must not process any Qatari Riyal payments. Banks have also been told not to increase their exposure to Qatari clients. This covers treasury investments, loans, letters of credit and trade-finance facilities: http://www.lexismiddleeast.com/doc/2476166_2476167.

UAE: Qataris Banned From Transit Flights

Source: Arabian Business and published via our Middle East Newspaper Index service. This has also been alerted to customers via email.

Following the cutting of diplomatic ties with Qatar, the UAE authorities have announced Qataris are banned from international flights passing through the country: http://www.lexismiddleeast.com/doc/2476169_2476170.

More Countries Sever Their Diplomatic Ties With Qatar

Source: Fragomen Middle East and published via our Middle East News Analysis service. This has also been alerted to customers via email.

An additional four countries have announced they are severing their diplomatic ties with Qatar, in light of the ongoing political crisis in the region which has resulted in restrictions on travel to and from Qatar: http://www.lexismiddleeast.com/doc/2476116_2476117.

UAE: Holders of Qatari Residency Permits Are Not Eligible for the UAE Visit Visas for GCC Residents

Source: Fragomen Middle East and published via our Middle East News Analysis service. This has also been alerted to customers via email.

Foreign nationals holding a residency permit from Qatar are no longer eligible for a UAE visit e-visa for GCC residents. Visas on-arrival continue to be issued to eligible foreign nationals, regardless if they have a Qatari residence permit or not: http://www.lexismiddleeast.com/doc/2476120_2476121.

UAE: Qatar Banking Deal Guidelines Being Prepared

Source: Published via our Middle East News Analysis service. This has also been alerted to customers via email.

The UAE’s Central Bank is understood to be preparing guidelines for the country’s banks on Qatar related transactions: http://www.lexismiddleeast.com/doc/2475414_2475417

SAP Alert: What the Qatar-GCC row means for your business?

Source: Sultan Al-Abdulla & Partners and published via our Middle East News Analysis service. This has also been alerted to customers via email.

If your company has documentation that needs to be legalised by Qatari embassies in the KSA, UAE, or Bahrain for use in Qatar, or vice versa, it is advisable these documents are drafted and legalised as soon as possible: http://www.lexismiddleeast.com/doc/2475600_2475601

Qatar crisis highlights question of force majeure

Source: Dentons and published via our Middle East News Analysis service. This has also been alerted to customers via email.

Imports of construction materials needed for the State of Qatar to deliver its World Cup and Vision 2030 infrastructure schemes are being severely impacted by the recent closing of borders by key neighbours Saudi Arabia and the UAE, leading to increased costs and delays on major construction projects: http://www.lexismiddleeast.com/doc/2475569_2475570

Implications of the Diplomatic Crisis in Qatar Continue to Rise

Source: Fragomen Middle East and published via our Middle East News Analysis service. This has also been alerted to customers via email.

The Governments of Libya, the Maldives, Jordan and Mauritania have joined a number of Middle Eastern countries and have severed their diplomatic ties with the State of Qatar. The closure of borders with neighbouring countries and the withdrawal of the diplomatic staff from various embassies in the region have resulted in restrictions on travelling to and from Qatar.

http://www.lexismiddleeast.com/doc/2475579_2475583

Update on the restrictions on Qatar from Middle Eastern Countries

Source: Fragomen Middle East and published via our Middle East News Analysis service. This has also been alerted to customers via email.

The closure of all the land, marine and diplomatic ties with Qatar has come into effect: http://www.lexismiddleeast.com/doc/2475226_2475227

Entry, Residency and Transit Implications Following Severance of Diplomatic Ties between Qatar and Various Middle Eastern Countries

Source: Fragomen Middle East and published via our Middle East News Analysis service. This has also been alerted to customers via email.

Several Middle Eastern countries, including the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Egypt and Yemen have severed diplomatic ties with Qatar and, as a result, they imposed an entry, residency and transit ban for all Qatari citizens: http://www.lexismiddleeast.com/doc/2474651_2474652

UAE: Qatari Sympathisers will be Jailed

Source: Khaleej Times (United Arab Emirates) and published via our Middle East Newspaper Index service. This has also been alerted to customers via email.

The UAE’s General Prosecutor, Hamad Saif Al-Shamsi has announced anyone who expresses sympathies for Qatar on social media will be jailed or fined. They could be jailed for between three and 15 years. They could also be fined at least 500,000 AED: http://www.lexismiddleeast.com/doc/2475403_2475404