Hundreds of tariffs imposed by Saudi Arabia on imports risk holding back the full operation of the GCC customs union in 2015, say UAE officials.
Saudi Arabia imposes customs duties of up to 20 per cent on selected imported commodities, such as matches and plastic bags, in an effort to protect fledgling national industries.
But the tariffs are higher than those charged by the UAE and most other GCC states.
"Saudi Arabia have customs duties to protect emerging industries," said Khalid Al Bustani, the assistant undersecretary for international financial relations at the Ministry of Finance. "This is a decision when you enter the customs union you have to remove tariffs. This is something that needs to be resolved."
The GCC customs union was set up in 2003 with a view to moving towards closer integration and bolstering stagnant levels of trade. It has had some success in raising trade, which more than trebled to US$90 billion (Dh330.57bn) in the seven years to 2010.
But obstacles have beset the running of key parts of the scheme ahead of the targeted date of 2015 for full operation of the union.
Saudi Arabia's "protection policy" was one of three issues still to be finalised, said Younis Al Khouri, the director general of the Ministry of Finance.
"Hopefully, by 2015 everybody will be ready, at least the outstanding issues can be resolved," he said.
"One is how the movement of goods between Bahrain and Oman, which have signed a free-trade agreement with the US, will work between the other four countries.
"One of the countries has a protection policy on 570 goods, also the relationship between the agencies and agents within the GCC - these three are the main items."
Officials are still trying to find a formula for how customs revenue will be distributed between states.
At the moment, country representatives meet every three months to settle outstanding invoices.
Officials want to set up a common fund into which all revenues are pooled then redistributed to members based on their share of trade.
But it is Saudi Arabia's high duties that are considered one of the biggest sticking points.
A technical team has been set up to help accelerate the rolling back of the kingdom's customs duties.
Saudi Arabia applies the common GCC tariff of 5 per cent for many goods. But other imports, such as plastic bags and matches, are still slapped with a 20 per cent duty. Tents, aluminium bars and rods, and furniture are subject to a 15 per cent tariff, with a 12 per cent tariff on 294 further items including some textiles. In contrast, most tariffs on imports by the UAE are set at 5 per cent.
A customs union, a form of trade bloc, involves countries agreeing on common external trade policy.
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Dubai World Cup Carnival Card:
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7.40pm: Zabeel Turf Listed $175,000 (T) 2,000m
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Messi at the Copa America
2007 – lost 3-0 to Brazil in the final
2011 – lost to Uruguay on penalties in the quarter-finals
2015 – lost to Chile on penalties in the final
2016 – lost to Chile on penalties in the final
Indoor cricket in a nutshell
Indoor Cricket World Cup – Sep 16-20, Insportz, Dubai
16 Indoor cricket matches are 16 overs per side
8 There are eight players per team
9 There have been nine Indoor Cricket World Cups for men. Australia have won every one.
5 Five runs are deducted from the score when a wickets falls
4 Batsmen bat in pairs, facing four overs per partnership
Scoring In indoor cricket, runs are scored by way of both physical and bonus runs. Physical runs are scored by both batsmen completing a run from one crease to the other. Bonus runs are scored when the ball hits a net in different zones, but only when at least one physical run is score.
Zones
A Front net, behind the striker and wicketkeeper: 0 runs
B Side nets, between the striker and halfway down the pitch: 1 run
C Side nets between halfway and the bowlers end: 2 runs
D Back net: 4 runs on the bounce, 6 runs on the full
Retail gloom
Online grocer Ocado revealed retail sales fell 5.7 per cen in its first quarter as customers switched back to pre-pandemic shopping patterns.
It was a tough comparison from a year earlier, when the UK was in lockdown, but on a two-year basis its retail division, a joint venture with Marks&Spencer, rose 31.7 per cent over the quarter.
The group added that a 15 per cent drop in customer basket size offset an 11.6. per cent rise in the number of customer transactions.
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Send “thenational” to the following numbers or call the hotline on: 0502955999
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On sale: Now
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Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces, established Edge in 2019.
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Edge has an annual revenue of $5 billion and employs more than 12,000 people.
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What is dialysis?
Dialysis is a way of cleaning your blood when your kidneys fail and can no longer do the job.
It gets rid of your body's wastes, extra salt and water, and helps to control your blood pressure. The main cause of kidney failure is diabetes and hypertension.
There are two kinds of dialysis — haemodialysis and peritoneal.
In haemodialysis, blood is pumped out of your body to an artificial kidney machine that filter your blood and returns it to your body by tubes.
In peritoneal dialysis, the inside lining of your own belly acts as a natural filter. Wastes are taken out by means of a cleansing fluid which is washed in and out of your belly in cycles.
It isn’t an option for everyone but if eligible, can be done at home by the patient or caregiver. This, as opposed to home haemodialysis, is covered by insurance in the UAE.
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Dr Afridi's warning signs of digital addiction
Spending an excessive amount of time on the phone.
Neglecting personal, social, or academic responsibilities.
Losing interest in other activities or hobbies that were once enjoyed.
Having withdrawal symptoms like feeling anxious, restless, or upset when the technology is not available.
Experiencing sleep disturbances or changes in sleep patterns.
What are the guidelines?
Under 18 months: Avoid screen time altogether, except for video chatting with family.
Aged 18-24 months: If screens are introduced, it should be high-quality content watched with a caregiver to help the child understand what they are seeing.
Aged 2-5 years: Limit to one-hour per day of high-quality programming, with co-viewing whenever possible.
Aged 6-12 years: Set consistent limits on screen time to ensure it does not interfere with sleep, physical activity, or social interactions.
Teenagers: Encourage a balanced approach – screens should not replace sleep, exercise, or face-to-face socialisation.
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Started: April 2017
Founders: Mostafa Kandil, Ahmed Sabbah and Mahmoud Nouh
Based: Cairo, Egypt
Sector: transport
Size: 450 employees
Investment: approximately $80 million
Investors include: Dubai’s Beco Capital, US’s Endeavor Catalyst, China’s MSA, Egypt’s Sawari Ventures, Sweden’s Vostok New Ventures, Property Finder CEO Michael Lahyani
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How it works
Each player begins with one of the great empires of history, from Julius Caesar's Rome to Ramses of Egypt, spread over Europe and the Middle East.
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His favourite book - 1984 by George Orwell
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Favourite movie - The Last Emperor
Favourite personality from history - Alexander the Great
Role Model - My father, Yiannis Davos
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I am in awe of the remarkable women in the Arab region, both big and small, pushing boundaries and becoming role models for generations. Emily Nasrallah was a writer, journalist, teacher and women’s rights activist
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Yoga relaxes me and helps me relieve tension, especially now when we’re practically chained to laptops and desks. I enjoy learning more about music and the history of famous music bands and genres.
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Hala2 Lawen (Translation: Where Do We Go Now?) by Nadine Labaki
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If you’re interested in a career at Google, deep dive into the different career paths and pinpoint the space you want to join. When you know your space, you’re likely to identify the skills you need to develop.
'Avengers: Infinity War'
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Starring: Chris Evans, Chris Pratt, Tom Holland, Robert Downey Junior, Scarlett Johansson, Elizabeth Olsen
Four stars
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Bangla Tigers 108-5 (10 ovs)
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Our legal consultant
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants