Search for:
Category

Middle East

Category
In Antitrust / Competition

South Africa: The Export Block Exemption – A five-year framework for strategic trade coordination

by and 4 Mins Read

The 2025 Export Block Exemption, introduced by South Africa’s Minister of Trade, Industry and Competition, provides a five-year legal framework allowing firms to coordinate strategically in export markets — such as through joint marketing, logistics, and infrastructure development without breaching competition laws. Aimed at countering rising global tariffs and trade barriers, the exemption includes strict safeguards against anti-competitive conduct and mandates the inclusion of historically disadvantaged persons (HDPs) and SMMEs in all agreements. By enabling collective action, the exemption seeks to enhance the global competitiveness of South African exports while promoting inclusive economic participation.

Read More
In AML & Financial Services Regulatory

United Arab Emirates: Considerations for the Islamic Finance market

by , and 3 Mins Read

On 8 July 2025, the Dubai Court of Cassation questioned the enforceability of late payment compensation in Islamic finance. Unlike default interest, such compensation is not retained by financiers but donated to charity. The ruling may affect market practices, though its broader impact remains uncertain under UAE law.

In AML & Financial Services Regulatory

South Africa: Coin vs. Capital – Cryptocurrency is not subject to exchange control

by and 7 Mins Read

In a landmark ruling, the Pretoria High Court in Standard Bank v South African Reserve Bank ruled that cryptocurrencies do not constitute “capital” under South Africa’s Exchange Control Regulations. This means crypto assets are not subject to the country’s strict exchange control regime, offering long-awaited clarity for the crypto industry. While this judgment removes the need for SARB approval to export crypto, the relief may be temporary, as future legislative amendments could reassert regulatory oversight. For now, the decision marks a significant shift in how digital assets are treated under South African financial law.

Read More
In Antitrust / Competition

Practical Insights on the New Economic Concentration Review Guidelines in Saudi Arabia

by and 2 Mins Read

We are excited to invite you to our upcoming webinar on the recently issued 5th edition of the Economic Concentration Review Guidelines by the General Authority for Competition (GAC) of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA). This critical update, published on 8 April 2025, brings significant refinements and clarity to the KSA merger control regime.

Key Topics to be Covered:
• Main changes introduced at a glance
• Clarification of the notification thresholds
• Update on the concept of Change of Control
• New Exemptions to Notification
• Validity Period for Clearance Decisions
• Q&As

In Cybersecurity, Data and Tech

South Africa: Amendments to the POPIA regulations – Key changes you need to know

by and 7 Mins Read

In April, the Information Regulator published amendments to the Protection of Personal Information Act (POPIA) Regulations, significantly enhancing privacy protections for South Africans. These changes simplify the processes for objecting to data processing, requesting corrections or deletions, and obtaining consent for direct marketing. They also introduce new responsibilities for information officers and allow for administrative fines to be paid in installments.

In Antitrust / Competition

Saudi Arabia: The General Authority for Competition’s report on economic concentration applications in Q1 2025

by , and 3 Mins Read

The General Authority for Competition in Saudi Arabia has recently published its quarterly report on economic concentration applications for Q1 2025. This alert summarizes the key highlights of the report published by the authority, with particular focus on the issuance of the first conditional approvals of the year.

Read More
In ESG

Egypt: Waste-to-Energy framework

by and 3 Mins Read

In light of recent developments in the Egyptian market, particularly following the COVID-19 pandemic and the devaluation of the Egyptian pound against the US Dollar and a growing interest by prospective investors, the Egyptian government is discussing an amendment to the established FiT rate for waste to energy projects in Egypt to attract more investments for these projects.

In Antitrust / Competition

Saudi Arabia: GAC’s updated Economic Concentration Review Guidelines

by , and 2 Mins Read

On 8 April 2025, the General Authority for Competition (GAC) of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) published the 5th edition of its Economic Concentration Review Guidelines (formerly known as the Merger Review Guidelines).
This critical update, following the GAC’s public consultation on its proposed amendments to the Guidelines of 1 July 2024, provides essential refinements and clarity on the KSA merger control regime.

In Cybersecurity, Data and Tech

Saudi Arabia: New guidelines on personal data transfer risk assessment published

by , , and 5 Mins Read

On 25 February 2025, the Saudi Data and Artificial Intelligence Authority published a new set of comprehensive guidelines aimed at ensuring the protection of personal data when transferred or disclosed to entities outside the Kingdom. These guidelines, which are intended for reference purposes and are not binding, provide a systematic approach for organizations to assess and mitigate potential risks associated with such data transfers, ensuring compliance with the Saudi Personal Data Protection Law and its Regulations.

Read More
Load More