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Monday, 16 April 2018

House gives preliminary nod to Food Cart Act

LEGISLATION WATCH- The House of Representatives has given preliminary approval of a Food Cart Act that would regulate the sale of street food nationwide. Lawmakers are positioning the bill as part of a pro-SME drive, a report from Al Mal suggests. The legislation, proposed by Rep. Mohamed Ali Youssef, includes 17 clauses regulating permits, equipment, location, fees, and food safety standards. Food cart owners will pay an annual fee of no more than EGP 5,000 for a three-year, renewable permit. Vendors would also be exempt from paying taxes in the first three-year period. Governors or and local district bosses would still have the right to zone areas for food carts and restrict their operation in front of licensed restaurants that sell the same type of food or drink.

Also yesterday:

  • Tax code changes: MPs voted to give individual taxpayers a 60-day window after submitting their initial tax forms to file any remaining necessary documents, Al Shorouk reports. The move is meant to reduce the rate of incomplete tax declarations filed by taxpayers with sources of income outside their primary employment.
  • Ikhwan assets bill: A new committee of judges will regulate the freezing and seizure of Ikwan-related assets if a bill moving through committee is approved.
  • State of emergency: The House General Assembly approved extending the state of emergency for an additional three months. Prime Minister Sherif Ismail said the extension is necessary to establish stability in Egypt, Youm7 reports. President Abdel Fattah El Sisi had signed off on the extension on Saturday.

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