KUWAIT CITY, Aug 10: The Ministry of Commerce and Industry has announced a sweeping proposal to introduce fees for nearly 67 services that were previously offered free of charge. In addition, the ministry plans to significantly increase the prices of existing services, with some fees rising by as much as 17 times their current rates.

This move is in response to a directive from the Cabinet, which requires government agencies to coordinate with the Ministry of Finance to review and adjust their service charges in line with operational costs.

Among the most notable changes is the imposition of a KD 20 fee for all company formation applications—previously free—regardless of the company's nature, including non-profit organizations. Other services that will transition from free to paid include applications to amend the fiscal year of personal companies, write-offs of mortgages and commercial agencies, and brokerage services related to fish, fodder, livestock, vegetables, fruits, and birds.

One of the sharpest fee hikes involves temporary commercial licenses. The cost for such licenses—previously KD 30 — will surge to KD 500 for events like real estate exhibitions or temporary jewelry fairs, representing an increase of approximately 17 times the original fee.

The proposal also recommends a 25 percent increase in fees for key company-related services, including capital amendments, share adjustments, partner additions or removals, company dissolution or liquidation, changes to management clauses, and trade name amendments. Furthermore, the license fee for practicing accounting is set to rise from KD 150 to KD 200.

Other adjustments include a 25 percent hike in fees for renewing company licenses and issuing board member certificates. The attendance fee for Ministry of Commerce representatives at general assemblies will increase from KD 100 to KD 125. In contrast, the fee for issuing and renewing ration cards will double from KD 5 to KD 10.

Officials behind the proposal justified the fee revision by highlighting the disparity between current charges and the actual costs borne by the Ministry of Commerce and Industry. A comparative study of similar fees across Gulf countries, along with the fact that some fees have remained unchanged for as long as 53 years, further supports the need for adjustment.

The proposed regulations are expected to set new benchmarks for trade-related service fees, reflecting both economic realities and regional standards. Stakeholders and affected parties await formal approval and implementation timelines as the ministry moves forward with these significant changes.