His Excellency the Minister of Commerce and Industry, Sheikh Faisal bin Thani bin Faisal Al Thani, has issued Ministerial Decisions No. (39) and (40) of 2025, which introduce new procedural rules governing the work of the Qatar Financial Centre’s two courts: the Civil and Commercial Court, and the Regulatory Tribunal. These decisions were published in Issue No. 14 of the Official Gazette, dated 4 June 2025.
Ministerial Decision No. (39) of 2025 provides for the issuance of new procedural rules applicable before the Civil and Commercial Court of the Qatar Financial Centre, which has jurisdiction over civil and commercial disputes involving entities subject to the Centre’s legal framework.
The decision includes an official version of the rules in Arabic, accompanied by an approved English translation. It explicitly states that the Arabic version shall prevail in case of any discrepancy between the two texts.
The new rules contain detailed mechanisms for filing claims and memoranda, conducting hearings, presenting evidence, and lodging appeals. They also regulate remote hearings, the handling of electronic documents, and the scheduling of case timelines.
Additionally, the decision repeals Ministerial Decision No. (1) of 2011, which previously governed court procedures, marking a shift towards a more modern and refined judicial framework within the Centre.
Ministerial Decision No. (40) of 2025 governs the procedural rules before the Regulatory Tribunal of the Qatar Financial Centre, which has jurisdiction over appeals and complaints related to administrative and regulatory decisions issued by the Centre’s oversight bodies, such as the QFC Regulatory Authority and the Financial Services Regulatory Authority.
As with the previous decision, the new rules are published in both Arabic and English, with a clear provision that the Arabic version takes precedence in the event of any conflict.
Under this decision, the previous rules set out in Ministerial Decision No. (2) of 2011 have been repealed and replaced with a comprehensive framework that addresses all stages of regulatory litigation—from filing an appeal to the issuance of a final ruling.
These two new decisions fall within the legal environment established for the Qatar Financial Centre under its founding law, Law No. (7) of 2005, which provides for the creation of an independent judicial system within the Centre. This includes two specialized courts: the Civil and Commercial Court and the Regulatory Tribunal.
Both judicial bodies operate under the umbrella of the Qatar International Court and Dispute Resolution Centre (QICDRC) and follow a legal model based on common law principles derived from the English legal system.
The courts are presided over by independent international judges, and English is used as the primary working language, distinguishing this judicial structure from the general Qatari judiciary, which follows the Qatari Civil and Commercial Procedures Law No. (13) of 1990.
The Qatar Financial Centre courts have jurisdiction over disputes involving licensed companies and institutions within the Centre’s framework. Furthermore, external parties may voluntarily agree to submit their disputes to these courts by contractual consent.
This feature is one of the most attractive legal aspects that the Centre offers to international investors and stakeholders in the business and financial sectors.
Although English is the operating language of the courts, the newly issued ministerial decisions emphasize that Arabic remains the official legal reference in the event of any discrepancy, reaffirming the state’s legal identity while offering an international legal environment accessible to foreign parties and global investors.
With the entry into force of Ministerial Decisions No. (39) and (40) of 2025, the Qatar Financial Centre courts enter a new phase of disciplined implementation of their procedural rules, under a legal structure that combines institutional independence, linguistic openness, and regulatory precision. This reinforces the efficiency of dispute resolution within the Centre and affirms the state’s commitment to building an advanced judicial system that supports economic development and enhances investor confidence in Qatar’s legal business environment.
