Bill to criminalise sale of technical standards

TDT | Manama

Email: mail@newsofbahrain.com

A draft law passed by the Shura Council on yesterday would make it a criminal offence to sell or circulate Bahrain’s national standards without permission.

It would also do away with the requirement to publish them in the official gazette and alter how technical rules are put together and approved.

The law amends key parts of Law No. (9) of 2016 and was submitted with Royal Decree No. (2) of 2025. It now moves to the Council of Representatives, then to His Royal Highness Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, the Crown Prince and Prime Minister, before being raised to His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa.

Under the new system, standards and technical rules would be issued through a digital platform operated by the Ministry of Industry and Commerce.

They would no longer appear in print form through the gazette.

The minister said most standards adopted in Bahrain originate from the Arabian Gulf region and are sold both locally and in neighbouring countries.

Publishing them in full, he warned, would cut into Bahrain’s earnings and those of other GCC states.

“These are paid documents,” said Industry and Commerce Minister, His Excellency Abdulla bin Adel Fakhro. “If we print them in the official gazette, it affects revenue for us and for the rest of the Arabian Gulf. That is why we are moving to sell them through the ministry’s online platform.”