Egypt approves granting one-year operation permits to unlicensed factories

El-Sisi has recently approved Law No.19/2023 which regulates the procedures for dealing with unlicensed factories and facilities that have existed prior to the issuance of the law

The law gives the IDA the authority to grant one-year provisional operation permits to unlicensed factories.

The permits are subjected to renewal for two additional periods upon a decision by the Trade and Industry Minister based on a proposal by the IDA.

The permits will be granted on the condition that industrial establishments submit documentation acknowledging their commitment to environmental requirements and civil protection measures.

The law comes in light of El-Sisi’s two-year-old directives to legalise unlicensed factories to help them further develop their business without any legal impediments.  

In 2021, El-Sisi said the purpose of his directives is not levying taxes or nitpicking and that his directives aimed at “construction not accountability”.

“These people [meaning those operating unlicensed factories] have been working albeit making some mistakes, and it is our job to set things right,” El-Sisi said.

He also issued instructions to move these factories to the nearest industrial