Law No.

16 of 2002 On the Establishment of

Qatar General Authority for Standards and
Metrology 16 / 2002
Number of Articles: 30
Table of Content
Chapter One (1-1)

Definitions (1-1)

Chapter Two (2-4)

Establishment of the Authority, its Objectives and Competences (2-4)

Chapter Three (5-16)

Management of the Organisation (5-16)

Chapter Four (17-18)

Administrative Units of the Authority (17-18)

Chapter Five (19-22)

Financial System of the Authority (19-22)

Chapter Six (23-30)

General Provisions (23-30)

We, Hammad Bin Khalifa Al-Thani, Emir of the State of Qatar,

Having perused the amended provisional constitution, in particular Articles
23, 34 and 51 thereof;
Law No. 2 of 1962 regulating the fiscal policy in Qatar, as amended by
Decree-Law No. 19 of 1996;
Law No. 21 of 1972 concerning unifying and determining measures, scales
and weights and its amendments;
Law No. 5 of 1989 on the state budget;
Law No. 4 of 1990 Concerning the Specifications and Standardizations
Regulation as amended by Law No. 2 of 1992;
Decree-Law No. 20 of 1993 organising the Ministry of Municipal Affairs
and Agriculture and specifying
its functions, as amended by Decree-Law No. 27 of 1995;
Decree-Law No. 22 of 1993 organising the Ministry of Finance, Economy,
Commerce, and specification its functions;
The Civil Service Law as promulgated by Law No. 1 of 2001;
Emiri Order No. 1 of 2002 reshuffling the Council of Ministers;

Chapter One

Definitions

Article 1

In the implementation of the provisions of this Law, the following words and expressions shall have
the meanings assigned to each, unless the context otherwise requires:
“Minister”: means the Minister of Economy and Commerce;
“Organisation”: means Qatar General Organisation for Standards and Metrology; and
“Board”: means the Board of Directors of the Organisation.

Chapter Two

Establishment of the Authority, its Objectives and Competences

Article 2

There shall be established an organisation called “Qatar General Organisation for Standards and
Metrology”, which shall have a juristic personality and a budget annexed to the State's general
budget.
Article 3
The Organisation shall be under the authority of the Minister and shall be located in Doha city.

Article 4
Within the framework of the State's general policy, the Organisation aims at promoting and ensuring
the quality of commodities and materials. The Organisation shall solely and exclusively exercise the
following competences:

1. Preparation, approval and publishing of Qatari standard specifications for commodities and
products; operation, inspection and testing methods as well as materials and tools, assessment
criteria, unification of measuring systems, terminology, definitions, symbols and others, in
coordination with the competent authorities;
2. Issuing and approving certificates of conformance with standard specifications, quality marks
and the rules of granting thereof and accreditation of laboratories and non-governmental
service organisations;
3. Following up of local and imported commodities and products to verify compliance with the
approved standard specifications
4. Creating awareness of the activities of standards and metrology among all the concerned
bodies and notifying about their occurrences and developments at the regional and
international levels;
5. Carrying out research and studies on conformance to standard specifications, quality systems
and finding solutions for the obstacles thereof;
6. Representing the State of Qatar in the meetings of Arab and foreign standard and metrology
authorities;
7. Following up the implementation of international and regional agreements in the field of
standards and metrology and coordinating with entities operating in that field; and
8. Proposing the legislation pertaining to standards and metrology.

Chapter Three
Management of the Organisation

Article 5

The Organisation shall be managed by a Board of Directors comprising a chairperson and eight (8)
members representing the following authorities:

1. The Ministry of Economy and Commerce;

2. The Ministry of Interior;
3. The Ministry of Energy and industry;
4. The Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Agriculture;
5. The Ministry of Public Health;
6. The Supreme Council for the Environment and Natural Reserves;
7. The General Authority of Customs and Ports; and
8. Qatar Chamber of Commerce and industry.

Each entity shall select its representative in the Board. The appointment of the Chairperson of the
Board, nomination of members and determination of the remuneration shall be determined by virtue
of a resolution issued by the Prime Minister.
The Board shall select from among its members a Vice-Chairperson. The Board shall also retain a
secretary who shall be selected by the Board which shall determine the secretary's duties and financial
remuneration.

Article 6
The tenure of membership of the Board shall be for four (4) years, renewable for a similar period(s).

Article 7
The Board shall exercise all the powers and competences necessary to manage the affairs of the
Organisation and to achieve its objectives. These include the following in particular:

1. Laying out the general policy of the Organisation as wellas monitoring its implementation;
2. Approving the Organisation's plans, programs and projects and following up the
implementation thereof;
3. Approval of standard specifications and submitting their respective resolutions for issuance
by the Minister;
4. Proposing the organisation structure of the Organisation ;
 5. Approving the Organisation's estimated annual budget and final account;
6. Issuing the internal bylaws of the Organisation;
7. Acceptance of legacies, contributions, donations and grants that are given to the Organisation
without conflicting the purposes thereof;
8. Borrowing from the government or the public or private financial institutions in the State
with the objective of realising the Organisation's purposes; and
9. Proposing the fees charged by the Organisation in consideration of the services rendered and
issued certificates.
The Board resolutions stipulated in paragraphs (5), (6), (7), (8) and (9) shall not be enforceable
until after approval by the Council of Ministers.

Article 8
The Chairperson of the Board shall represent the Organisation before the Judiciary and in its relations
with third parties.

Article 9
The Board shall convene at least once every month, upon an invitation by its Chairperson and
whenever this is requested by three of its members. The meeting of the Board shall not be valid unless
attended by the majority of its members, provided that they shall include either the Chairperson or
the Vice-chairperson.
The Board resolutions shall be passed by the majority votes of members present. In case the votes
are evenly divided, the Chairperson shall have a casting vote. No representatives may be delegated
for attendance or voting

Article 10
The Board meetings shall be held in camera. The minutes of meetings and resolutions of the Board
shall be recorded in a special register, with numbered pages, which shall be signed by the Chairperson
of the Board and the Secretary.
Article 11
The Board may invite to attend its meetings those of the Organisation's staff deemed appropriate to
engage their assistance, or may invite other experienced persons. The invitees may participate in
discussions but shall not have the right to vote.

Article 12
The Board may form from among its members, one or more committees to assist in studying the
issues brought before the Board. The Board may include into the membership of such committees
those deemed appropriate to engage their assistance, from amongst persons equipped with expertise
and competence, both from within and outside the Organisation.
The Board may form from among its members permanent or temporary committees to assist in
examining the issues brought before the Board. The Board may include into the membership of such
committees persons from within or outside the Organisation.

Article 13
The Chairperson of the Board shall have the right of signatureon behalf of the Organisation. The
Board shall have the right to delegate to the Director-General or other Organisation staff, the right of
signature severally or jointly in such affairs, the Board may determine as.

Article 14
The seal of the Organisation on its documents shall not be deemed valid unless accompanied by the
signature of the Chairperson of the Board or the authorised signatory.

Article 15
Neither the Chairperson of the Board, nor any Board member or any of the Organisation staff may
have direct or indirect personal interest in the contracts concluded with or for the Organisation, the
projects carried out by the Organisation or in any other field of its activities.
Article 16
The Organisation shall have a Director-General, who shall be appointed by virtue of a
resolutionissued by the Board. Under supervision by the Board and within the framework of the
Organisation's general policy, the Director General shall undertake the disposal of all of the
Organisation's technical, financial and administrative affairs, in accordance with the approved bylaws
and regulations and within the limits of the annual budget. The Director-General shall in particular
undertake the following:
1. Prepare the Board's agenda and follow up the implementation of its resolutions;
2. General supervision of the Organisation's technical, financial and administrative
departments;
3. Supervise the proper performance of work in the Organisation and preparing the reports
required for presentation before the Board;
4. Propose the standard specifications that are prepared for approval by the Board;
5. Prepare the Organisation's draft estimated annual budget and final account;
6. Propose the granting of quality marks and the accreditation of requesting laboratories;
7. Communicating and coordinating with the bodies concerned with standards and metrology
in the GCC countries;
8. Receiving information, data or documents pertaining to standards and providing the State's
bodies with their requests therefrom; and
9. Any other functions as may be assigned to the Director General by the Board, in accordance
with the provisions of this Law.

Chapter Four

Administrative Units of the Authority

Article 17

A cabinet resolution, upon the Board's proposal, shall be issued in respect of the Organisation's
organisational chart, comprising departments and the determination of the competences thereof.
Article 18
By virtue of a resolution of the Board, sections may be established in the Organisation's constituent
administrative units, have their competencies specified or may modified by cancellation, addition or
merging.

Chapter Five

Financial System of the Authority

Article 19

The financial resources of the Organisation shall include:

1. Funds allocated to the Organisation by the Government;
2. Revenues from the exercise of the Organisation's activities;
3. Loans and credit facilities;
4. Legacies, contributions, donations and grants; and
5. Other resources as may be approved by the Council of Ministers upon presentation by the
Board and the Minister's proposal.

Article 20
The Authority shall have an estimated annual budget prepared in accordance with internal statutes
and a private account to deposit its funds therein.
The Authority's financial year shall start on 1 April and close by the end of March of each year,
provided that the first financial year shall commence from the date of enforcement of this Law and
end by the end of March of the following year.

Article 21
The Organisation may appoint one or more auditors. The auditor shall at any time, be entitled to
review all the Organisation's books, records, and documents, and to request the data which the auditor
deems necessary for the proper conduct of his duties. He may also verify the Organisation's assets
and liabilities. If the auditor is unable to exercise the said rights he shall submit a report of the same
to the Board.
Article 22
At a time not exceeding three months after the end of the financial year, the Board shall submit to
the council of Ministers a detailed report on aspects of the Organisation's activities, projects, work
progress and its financial status, including the board's proposals and recommendations together with
a copy of the auditor's report.

Chapter Six

General Provisions

Article 23

The Council of Ministers may at any time request the Organisation to submit reports about its
technical, financial and administrative conditions, or any aspect of its activities or any information
related thereto. The Council of Ministers may issue general directives on what the Organisation needs
to adopt in matters pertaining to public interest or general policy.

Article 24
The Organisation's employees, who are duly delegated pursuant to a resolution issued by the
Minister, shall have the capacity of judicial control officers in respect of seizure and establishing
evidence of violations committed in contravention of the provisions of legislation regulating
standards and metrology.

Article 25
The Organisation's staff shall be subject to the aforesaid civil service law with respect to matters that
are unstipulated in the bylaws regulating personnel affairs in the Organisation.
Article 26
The Minister, acting upon a proposal by the Board, shall issue the resolutions necessary for
implementation of the provisions of this Law.

Article 27
Except for the section concerned with consumer protection in the Ministry of Economy and
Commerce and the competences stipulated for it under the aforesaid Law No. 22 of 1993 the
Standards, Metrology and Consumer Protection Department in the Ministry shall be abrogated. The
Material Section and Central Laboratory at the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Agriculture shall
be transferred to the Organisation. Those staff deemed appropriate shall be transferred from the said
department and section to the Organisation under the same job conditions, salaries and all other
benefits applicable to them at the time of transfer.

Article 28
The Advisory Committee for Standards and Metrology stipulated in the aforesaid Law No. 4
of 1990 shall be abrogated.

Article 29
Any provision contradicting the provisions of this Law shall be repealed.

Article 30
All competent authorities, each within their jurisdiction, shall enforce this Law which shall be
published in the Official Gazette.

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