Aqaba, Sept 27 (Petra) -- Government Communication Minister Mohammad Momani on Saturday announced a series of decisions taken during a cabinet session in Aqaba.
It approved tax settlements between taxpayers and the Aqaba Special Economic Zone Authority (ASEZA) in accordance with the law, concerning outstanding claims for the year 2022. It stipulates that taxpayers must pay the full remaining amounts within two months of its issuance.
The decision is meant to stimulate and sustain economic activities in the Aqaba Special Economic Zone, facilitate them, and enable violators to correct their tax status.
The Cabinet also endorsed a decision by ASEZA's Board of Commissioners approving a Joint Development Agreement (JDA) and its annexes, signed by the Aqaba Development Corporation (ADC), the Aqaba Port and Maritime Services Company (APMC), the Jordanian National Shipping Lines Company (JNSC), and Smit Lamnalco Jordan.
The agreement aims to ensure the continuity of maritime services in Aqaba, maintain the stability of the port system and the movement of ships and cargo, establish the foundations for dealing with maritime services at the natural gas port, and prepare a sound investment feasibility study for this purpose.
The agreement also strengthens the public-private partnership with one of the largest international companies, contributing to empowering Jordanian cadres working in this sector and enhancing their expertise and competencies, which will be reflected in the services provided by the port system in Aqaba.
With the aim of supporting investment and creating an attractive investment environment, the Council of Ministers approved the mechanisms and principles for enforcing its previous decision adopted in July granting investors Jordanian citizenship or five-year residency in the Kingdom.
It regulates the process of obtaining Jordanian citizenship through investment, purchasing shares in Jordanian companies for an amount not less than JD1 million. It also grants a temporary Jordanian passport for three years for the purpose of obtaining Jordanian citizenship through establishing and registering investment projects in any of the productive economic sectors.
The mechanism also regulates procedures for granting Jordanian citizenship to investors with existing investments, if the investor is a partner or owns one or more existing projects, when investing in the pharmaceutical and pharmaceutical warehouse sector, as well as medical and surgical equipment and supplies, or investing in the food logistics services sector, including warehousing.
It also includes regulating granting Jordanian citizenship to an investor employing 150 Jordanian workers in the Amman governorate or 100 Jordanians in the rest of the Kingdom's regions. It also offers process for the investor's spouse, single daughters, widows, and divorcees living with them, and unmarried male children under the age of 24, including new and existing investors who meet citizenship requirements.
The mechanism also regulates the procedures for granting or renewing residency to investors or ordinary non-investors, regardless of their previous residency period in the Kingdom, when purchasing a property.
It also stipulates that security clearance shall be a prerequisite for any initial or final approval of granting citizenship, temporary passports, or residency. Investor applications shall be reviewed by the technical committee formed pursuant to this mechanism after the application is submitted electronically or in paper form to the Ministry of Investment.
As part of modernizing the public sector and regulating professions, the ministers approved the grounds for a draft law amending the Official Gazette Law of 2025, in preparation for its submission to the Legislation and Opinion Bureau for approval.
The draft law aims to be up to date with legislative and technical developments since the current law was issued in 1949 and it requires numerous amendments. Furthermore, there is a need to create a specific mechanism and standard regulating the publication of the Official Gazette, which is currently published in print and electronically.
The cabinet also approved the Health Beauty Profession regulations for 2025 with the aim of regulating the practice of the health aesthetics profession by specifying the conditions for obtaining a license to practice it and identifying the entities that may apply for accreditation for training purposes.
Under the system, a specialized committee will be formed from institutions concerned with the sector to license the profession, define its duties, state the activities that a licensed person is prohibited from performing, and regulate its activities.
The meeting also approved the Embryology technician regulations for 2025 after a cabinet decision considered the practice a health profession, which requires creating a legislative framework to regulate the practice and define the conditions that must be met.
//Petra//SS
