KUWAIT CITY, Jan 20: The Public Authority for Industry recorded a decade-high level of enforcement action in 2025, issuing 557 regulatory decisions that included warnings, closures, and the withdrawal of industrial plots, as part of a stepped-up campaign against violations across the industrial sector, informed sources said.

As part of these measures, the authority recently ordered the closure of an industrial plot in the Shuwaikh Industrial Area after determining that a real estate company operating on the site was running a money transfer and safekeeping business without the required license. The sources said the decision mandates a one-month closure of the plot, during which the owning company must correct the violation and address its consequences.

Failure to comply within the specified period will result in tougher penalties, potentially including the withdrawal of the plot and the cancellation of its usufruct rights, the sources added.

The 557 regulatory decisions issued in 2025 represent the highest number recorded by the authority over the past ten years in relation to industrial establishments. These actions ranged from formal warnings to the closure of facilities and the withdrawal of industrial land allocations.

The authority closed out the final week of last year by issuing 34 warnings and enforcing the closure of three industrial facilities.

Decisions to withdraw industrial plots were based on serious violations committed by some industrial investors who had been allocated state land. These violations included encroachment on public property, subletting plots, operating activities without official licenses, and a lack of seriousness in implementing approved projects.

Sources said the next phase will see further deterrent measures aimed at creating a disciplined and compliant industrial environment capable of supporting the national economy, enhancing investor confidence in transparency and fairness, and contributing to the state’s vision for sustainable development.

Minister of Commerce and Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Public Authority for Industry Khalifa Al-Ajil has previously affirmed that the authority is maintaining a firm approach to protecting state industrial lands and “will not hesitate to take legal action against anyone proven to have manipulated or violated regulations.”

He emphasized that these measures do not target any particular party, but rather are intended to support compliant factories, protect serious industrial investors, and strengthen confidence in the Kuwaiti industrial environment, in line with higher directives to enforce laws governing the sector and safeguard public funds strictly.