LEGISLATION WATCH- Simplified commercial registry a new outdoor advertising bill get preliminary House nods: The House of Representatives’ general assembly granted yesterday its preliminary approval to the draft Unified Economic Operators Registry Act, which would see new businesses registered under one roof, the local press reports. The bill would merge the five existing registries — the commercial, industrial and commercial agents and mediators registries and the import and export records — into a single register administered by the Supply Ministry’s Internal Trade Development Authority (ITDA). The draft law would, if approved, streamline the process for manufacturers working across sectors who have not managed to register in all relevant databases in their set-up process.

The House also approved in principle yesterday a bill to regulate roadside ads and billboards, which would regulate both the content and number of advertisements on roads and bridges, according to Al Mal.