Small Projects Fund Proposes 'Gulf Industrial Passport for Products' to Boost Entrepreneurship in GCC States

Kuwait City, Oct 6 (KUNA) -- The National Fund for the Care and Development of Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) presented a proposal to develop the “Gulf Industrial Product Passport” during the Sixth Consultative Meeting of Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Ministers of Commerce and Industry with entrepreneurs, held in the Bahraini capital, Manama.

In a statement to the Kuwait News Agency (KUNA), the Fund said that the SME and Entrepreneurship Committee of the GCC Secretariat General prepared the proposals, recommendations, and challenges, and submitted them at the consultative meeting held on Tuesday, attended by the Minister of State for Economic and Investment Affairs and Acting Minister of Commerce and Industry, Abdulaziz Al-Marzouq, who headed the Kuwaiti delegation.

The statement clarified that the Sixth Consultative Meeting of Commerce and Industry Ministers with entrepreneurs is held in implementation of the directives of the Trade Cooperation Committee to enhance dialogue with entrepreneurs and involve them in developing the Gulf entrepreneurial ecosystem. It noted that the report was prepared according to the updated and approved methodology, within the framework of the governance of the SME and Entrepreneurship Committee.

The report outlined the main challenges and proposals put forward by participating entrepreneurs, based on the outputs of the Gulf survey, brainstorming sessions, and the views of entrepreneurs and member states. This aims to enrich the committee’s action plan, guided by ministers’ directives to explore practical initiatives that enhance the competitiveness, integration, and sustainability of the sector.

Regarding the Kuwaiti proposal, the “Gulf Industrial Product Passport,” presented by entrepreneur Omar Al-Mutairi, who is funded by the National Fund and one of the initiators participating in the meeting, the statement explained that the concept refers to a single digital file for each product, not a new paper passport or license. The digital file would be linked to existing regulations and consolidate under a single number the key product data, including manufacturer details, country of origin, customs classification, compliance, and required accreditations.

It added that when a product moves from one GCC state to another, the competent authority can directly access its approved data, rather than requiring the manufacturer to resubmit the same information each time. This would be complemented by a faster track for compliant, low-risk manufacturers.

The Fund noted that the Kuwaiti proposal comes after GCC states have made significant progress in customs and industrial integration. However, the current challenge is to ensure that information flows as easily as the products themselves. Manufacturers entering multiple Gulf markets may be forced to deal with different systems and authorities, and resubmit data and documents that have already been registered or approved, which consumes time and increases operational costs.

The statement said that the SME Committee at the GCC Secretariat General recommended coordinating with the relevant technical industrial committees and concerned entities within the Secretariat General to review existing efforts related to the Kuwaiti proposal, assess its integration with them, and evaluate its added value.

The Fund reported that all GCC states submitted recommendations to develop SMEs. Entrepreneurs in the United Arab Emirates proposed establishing Gulf product corridors, while Bahraini entrepreneurs suggested a unified Gulf mechanism to reduce technical challenges and enable entrepreneurs to access government services digitally. Saudi entrepreneurs proposed activating a Gulf linkage mechanism and establishing a Gulf platform to support innovators and creators. Omani entrepreneurs focused on organizing periodic meetings, while Qatari initiators called for developing a flexible Gulf framework for the shared use of resources and operational capacities. (End) F.N.K / A.M.H