MoCI launches Qatar Business Map portal

Officials announcing the initiatives.

The Ministry of Commerce and Industry (MoCI) has launched the Qatar Business Map portal and commercial registration data verification service as part of the country’s drive to strengthen the corporate sector. The Qatar Business Map portal initiative falls in line with the ministry’s commitment to creating more transparent and efficient services. It is available on the MoCI website.This follows the requirements of Law No. 1 of 2020 on the Unified Economic Register, which aims to support the transparency of economic and financial transactions by compiling basic information, data, and documents for economic establishments, legal arrangements, non-profit organisations, and freelancers, and making them available to the public and to stakeholders. This step also aligns with the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) requirements.The business map portal provides a comprehensive database for users, allowing them to view the investment advantages of Qatar’s various regions through a search service for commercial establishments per region, and for the various available commercial activities. The portal also offers statistics on several commercial licenses registered in each municipality, new and signed-off commercial licences, and the latest commercial establishments registered in Qatar.The Qatar Business Map portal is a database for entrepreneurs and investors to facilitate their access to target customers. It aims to help users select the ideal location to establish a business and choose a lucrative business activity. It also helps in identifying the location of potential competitors. In a statement, the ministry explained that the portal helps find residential areas for entrepreneurs and investors to establish their commercial activities, in addition to analysing the location to understand the target customer base and to measure the feasibility of the commercial project in a specific area.The MoCI noted that the public and all parties concerned can view information and data on various commercial establishments by visiting the Qatar Business Map page via this link: https://businessmap.moci.gov.qaRegarding the commercial registration data verification service, the ministry said the initiative supports its goal to develop procedures for itsservice provision to the business and investment sector, thus improving the international indicators of doing business in Qatar, in addition tofacilitating audits and periodic inspections of commercial companies and verifying the validity and accuracy of their data.The MoCI said a QR code would be included on the documents issued via the ministry’s Single Window platform in order to assist the authorities concerned in viewing the commercial registration data and verifying their validity and accuracy. The statement noted that the initiative aims to assist the authorities concerned by:* Reducing misleading data submitted to the authorities concerned by some companies, thereby ensuring the validity and accuracy of commercial registration data.* Releasing commercial companies from the obligation to use the company’s seal to stamp the requests submitted to the entities concerned to obtain their services.* Exempting commercial companies from obtaining the seal and manual signature of the competent administrative units at the Ministry of Commerce and Industry to ensure accuracy and validity of data of the commercial registers in case they refer back to the authorities concerned.* Enabling the authorities concerned to confirm the data accuracy of documents by scanning the QR code available on the official documents issued by the ministry.