Gulf coop coun
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Transcript of Gulf coop coun
OPPORTUNITIES FOR INDIA DOING BUSINESS WITH GCC
HISTORY• Created on May 25, 1981 • The unified economic agreement between the countries
of the GC Council signed on Nov 1981 in Riyadh • The GCC Patent Office was approved in 1992
• A GCC common market launched on January 1, 2008
• All GCC members and Yemen have since joined the Greater Arab Free Trade Area (GAFTA) when that organization was founded
• Yemen is (currently) in negotiations for GCC
membership, and hopes to join by 2016.
Map Indicating CCASG MembersOfficial languages Arabic
Type Trade bloc
MembershipArab states of the Persian Gulf
LeadersSecretary-General Abdul Rahman Ibn
Hamad Al-Attiyah
EstablishmentAs the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC)
May 25, 1981
PopulationEstimate 40,338,196
GDP (nominal) Estimate
Total $1,103,235 million
Per capita $22,083
Key indicators
Name Capital Inhabitants
Sq km GDP (mil. US$)
Currency
Bahrain Manama 1.046.814 716 15.354Bahrain Dinar
Qatar Doha 1.307.229 11.437 52.722 Qatari Riyal
Kuwait Kuwait City 2.460.000 17.818 95.924Kuwaiti Dinar
Oman Muscat 2.534.000 309.500 35.990 Omani Rial
Saudi Arabia
Riyadh 26.417.599 2.240.000 572.200 Saudi Riyal
United Arab Emirates
Abu Dhabi 4.588.697 83.600 163.296UAE Dirham
OBJECTIVE Formulating similar regulations in various fields of
economy, finance, trade, customs, tourism, legislation and administration
Fostering scientific and technical progress in industry, mining, agriculture, water and animal resources
Establishing scientific research centers Setting up joint ventures Encouraging cooperation of the private sector Strengthening ties between their peoples Establishing a common currency by 2010
Business practice and culture
Business week - Saturday to ThursdayWeekend holiday – Friday
Working hours: Govt. - 7:30 am to 2:30 pm (Sat-Wed)Private - 8 am to 1 pm and 4 pm to 7 pm (Sat- Wed) - 8 am to 1 30 pm (Thurs.)
Climate - 35 to 45 °C in summer - 18 to 28 °C in winterTime zone - + 4 hrs GMTTopography - Mountainous with over 1700 kms of coastline
Business practice and culture
Religion - Islam, Other religions are tolerated. way of life is governed by Islamic customs
Petroleum reserve - 5.5 million barrels
Natural gas - Reserves 29 trillion cubic feet
Minerals - Copper mining up to 20,000 tons a year Chromate estimated at about 2 million tons Possible exploration of gold, platinum, sulphides and coal
Official language - Arabic (English is widely used and understood)
Doing Business
Foreign companies can set up business or Industries in by establishing a Limited Liability Company with a minimum capital of US$ 390,000
They can own up to 70% of the share capital in the company and the other 30% is to be owned by GCC entities
Foreign participation is encouraged in all the major sectors of the economy
100% foreign participation is possible with a minimum paid-up capital of US$ 1.3 billion / with the prior approval of the council of ministers
Doing Business
To establish an LLC (Limited Liability Company) with foreign participation, an applicant must prepare a
shareholders agreement setting forth the intentions of the parties
Applicant then must file a constitutive contract signed by
all the members, in a prescribed format, in Arabic with Ministry of commerce and industry (MOCI)
The formation of the company is completed when all the
shares are fully paid up and the company is registered in the commercial register
Business Culture
Do's• Be aware of all favors done for you and prepare to respond in kind.• People are courteous, polite and the traditional Arab forms of
greetings are widely observed• Being Muslim country, visitors should respect local customs.
Don'ts• Avoid unintentional criticism of others• Alcohol consumptions in public other than licensed places are
prohibited• Careful attention has to be paid to ensure that one do not offend
local customs particularly in relation to dress code and alcohol consumption
Establishing a company
Registration procedures – Before business entities start their business in
GCC Countries they must be registered in the commercial register of the MOCI
Time required – The time required to establish a company
depends on the extent of foreign participation
Registration and licensing requirements normally takes between 4-5weeks
STAGES FOR SETTING UP AN ENTERPRISE IN GCC
StagesObjective Action Plan Anticipated
risks and hurdles
End Result
Stage:1Familiarity with GCC
Find a right partner
Non availability of complete information
One location
Stage:2
Demand analysis Get to know more about the production facilities
Demand potential and other player’s strengths
Sure of succeeding
Stage:3
Understand legal formalities and agreements
Appoint specialists to draft
Terms are favorable to local partners
Get ready to setup
Stage:4
Locate and setup Right kinds of people (technical and managerial)
Possible resistance if Indian bosses are appointed
Production at low costs
Stage:5 Markets – local & outside
Develop interior markets and network out of GCC
Local tariff and non-tariff barriers in provinces
Reduced cost and competitiveness
Once the business activity is identified, the following steps leads to the establishment of company
1. Identify the GCC partner.2. Prepare a shareholders agreement setting forth the intentions of the parties.3. Apply for a trade name from the Ministry of Commerce & Industry (MOCI).4. Obtain Industrial license/environment clearance or a No objection certificate from the concerned department, if required; or approval
of the Ministry of Higher Education in the case of setting-up educational institutions. For normal trading activity this may not be applicable.
5. Approach the various Government-owned Industrial estates for allotment of land and factory buildings.6. Open bank account in the name of the company under formation and ensure that the amount of RO 150,000/ (US$ 390,000) is deposited to facilitate the issue of bank guarantee.
Once the business activity is identified, the following steps leads to the establishment of company
7. Apply to MOCI for obtaining Commercial registration.8. Apply for the Chamber of Commerce certification.9. Identifying and registering the lease agreements with the Municipal office for setting office and name boards.10. Apply for Import license from MOCI if goods are required to be imported.11. Apply to Ministry of Manpower for labour clearances, if expatriate employees are required.12. Apply for employment visa for expatriate workers on the basis of labour clearances.13. Apply for labour cards/ Residency permits once the employee enters the country.
Documents required for registration of a company in the commercial register
a. Power of Attorney issued to the person authorized to sign on behalf of the companies abroad and a copy of the ID card / passport copy.
b. Certificate from the local bank stating that the company under formation has deposited the required amount in their account showing clearly the percentage of contribution amount by each of the members/partners.
c. In the case of a foreign company, a Letter of Guarantee is required from the Head office stating that it is responsible for all liabilities in particular country. e g: oman
d. Board resolution of investing companies to the extent of their share-holding and amount of investment.
e. Charter documents of the companies like the Memorandum and Articles of Association and business licenses, if the investor is a company.
f. The passport copy of the individual, if the investor is not a company.
Entry visas & work permit –
All foreigners (except GCC nationals) should have a valid entry visa. Foreigners on business visits are generally issued visit visas at the airport, valid
usually for one month. Express visas are also issued before-hand and are valid for 3 weeks.
Multiple entry visas are also issued for one year but the stay each time should not exceed 3 weeks and there should be a gap of three weeks between each visit.
Employment visas are usually valid for 2 years and are issued on the basis of Labour clearances granted to the employers.
Holders of employment visas are issued Labour cards and Residency permits.
Fee structure –
The statutory fees for setting-up companies – For a company with registered capital of RO. 150,000 (US $ 390,000), is not likely to exceed US $1,200.
Each expatriate labour clearance will cost approx. US$ 560 including the fee for labour and residency card and is issued for a period of 2 years which is to be renewed thereafter for a similar period.
The rent for a 3-room apartment in a moderately good locality will approx. range from US$ 500-1000.
Income Tax Business organizations should file a provisional return of income with advance tax
• No personal Income tax.
• Income tax is currently charged on business entities with up to 70% foreign participation @ 12%, if the profit exceeds the basic exemption limit of US$ 78,000.
• For business enterprises with more than 70% foreign participation and branches of foreign companies, tax rate ranges from 5% to 30% (for eg. tax is charged @ 30% on the entire profit, if it exceeds US$ 260,000).
• All business entities having a commercial registration have to file business particulars with the income tax department.
• Exemptions from income tax for 5 Years is granted .in respect of income of industries and fisheries sector which can be extended for another five years.
• Income generated by higher educational institutions and private hospitals will be completely tax free.
OTHER OBLIGATIONS
• Custom duty is charged @ 5 % on imports on most of the items• Tender board registration is a must for Government contracts in
excess of US$ 260,000. • Business entities having banking facilities of more than US$
650,000/ should submit audited balance sheet to the bank within four months of the year end to avoid freezing of bank accounts.
• Public Listed companies should audit the accounts and conduct annual general meeting within 3 months from the year end and should comply with corporate governance practices.
• Expatriates should not be employed unless and until a labour clearance is obtained from the ministry of manpower
• One cannot commence business without obtaining the commercial registration chamber certificate and municipal certificate
• Financial reports to be prepared in accordance with nternational Accounting Standards.
TYPES OF ORGANISATIONLS IN GENERAL
Business may be carried out in GCC in a variety of forms.
1. Sole proprietorships2. General partnership3. Limited partnership4. Joint venture5. Limited liability company (LLC)6. Public joint stock company 7. Closed joint stock company 8. Holding company9. Foreign companies • Branches – Branches of foreign companies may engage only in the following activities: - Carry out government contracts. - Conduct business declared by the council of ministers to be vital to the economic development.10. Foreign commercial representative offices – these offices engaged in trade, industry and service sectors may not import, export or sell its products but can promote products or services.
Facilities and incentives offered by the Government
• Planned and serviced plots are provided for industries in the industrial estates• Ready built factories 25 years (renewable)• Electricity US$ 0.06/ KW/H• Exemption from Customs duty is allowed on Raw materials,
Plant & machinery and spares imported for industrial production
• Local Products are given 10% advantage over imported goods on Government purchases
• Oman is the only country in the whole of GCC which has its own National credit guarantee agency• Foreigners can own properties in designated areas for a lease
period of 99 years
Reasons For Doing Business In GCC
FDI:• Foreign investment into the UAE hit a high of
$19.4 billion in the past three years• Foreign direct investments (FDI) during 2005-2007
were more than eight times the FDI flow into the GCC during the previous nine years
MARKET OPPORTUNITIES:• Construction & Industry: Sharjah plans huge egg
production plant• Technology: HP brings touch technology home • Transportation: $4.5bn Terminal 3 to open • Government Incentives
India’s Export to the GCC: Basmati/Non-basmati rice, tea, manmade yarn,
fabrics, made-ups, cotton yarn, primary and semi-finished iron and steel, chemicals, plastic and linoleum products, machinery and instruments.
India’s Major Import from the GCC: Petroleum and petrochemical products like LPG,
kerosene and others. Saudi Arabia is the largest supplier of crude oil to India.
Infrastructure in GCC
• Infrastructure construction plays a key role• Government is actually a partner in providing
infrastructure• $1.5 trillion is the likely total GCC expenditure on
infrastructure for the next decade• GCC infrastructure spending will be 12 times higher than
the US and 94 times higher than in India• Foreign lenders had increased interest in long-term
infrastructure projects in the Middle East • There are further 300$ billion worth of projects either
planned or under construction in Dubai
Infrastructure in GCC• Dubai has shown the way in developing its ports and
infrastructure.
Communications: Phone, satellite, internet, systems are readily available in
Special Economic Zones. Transportation: Air-- Service available from both local domestic carriers
and most international airlines. Ocean-- Large number of ports and harbours handling
booming export trade. Roads, Highways & Railways have good speed limits.
Opportunities in Major sectors Transportation service:
• Logistics services represent the nerve of Gulf and international businesses
• Transport and logistics services are central to regional trade and to the exchange of goods and services
• GCC States today is the building of road networks, harbors, airports and state-of-the-art transportation networks
• Gross Domestic Product (GDP) reaching approximately 750 billion USD in 2007, double the amount recorded five years ago. (Potential for opportunity)
Tourism and Related Services
• GCC Countries are the exporter and importer of travel services amongst the developing countries
• Ministry of Tourism of GCC has adopted a number of measures to facilitate tourists
• The governments of both countries is providing greater facilitation for enterprises of the counterpart to start business operations
• The two countries are working together to promote and developed health tourism
Construction and Consultancy Services
• India has considerable experience in the field of civil construction, engineering and manufacturing operations
• This provides increased growth opportunities through Joint Ventures and Consortiums
• With $700 billion worth of developments either under way or in the pipeline, the GCC is now the world’s largest finance market
• GCC seeks to forge a stronger and more diversified economic future in construction
Accounting, Auditing and Consulting Services
• In GCC Countries there is a huge demand of accountants, auditors and consulting advisors with rich knowledge in international trade practices
• Under the multi-lateral trade system of GCC Countries, enterprises of India can provide such services to GCC Countries through cross-border supply or commercial presence
Health Services
• Total health-care spending in the region will reach US $60billion in 2025, up from US$12 billion today
The model projects follows by GCC: Treatment demand Hospital beds Cost Population growth Aging populations Health-risk factors
Advertising services• GCC has tied up with Graffiti Marketing
Communications, one of Kuwait's leading ad agencies in order to strategically join hands to provide better services in terms of brand development
• Growing consumerism in GCC has led to an increased demand for advertising services in terms of brand building and marketing.
• Indian advertising industry is very well developed and can provide English-speaking trained manpower in advertising firms or can collaborate with existing firms in GCC to provide these services
• This would benefit the GCC industry and give Indian industry exposure to the GCC market
Education Services
The setting up of Knowledge Village, located in Dubai, UAE is one step towards fulfilling learning and training requirements
“KV” offers many gateways to obtain higher education in the fields of business, IT, Graphics design and even Medicine
Arabian Gulf University located in Bahrain offers a Post-Graduate Diploma and Master Degrees, Scientific Research
Constraints to trade in services
• Connectivity • Lack of transparency • Language barrier • Trade barrier• Service barrier• Lack of knowledge • Lack of recognition of qualifications.