Cabinet Approves Draft Decree-Law Issuing the Law Establishing Economic Sectors

The Council of Ministers approved a draft decree-law issuing a law establishing economic courts, aiming to keep pace with modern global and regional legislation and to harness advanced technological systems in the service of justice. This came during the Council of Ministers’ meeting held today, Tuesday, under the chairmanship of His Highness Sheikh Ahmad Abdullah Al-Salim Al-Sabah, Prime Minister.

The measure requires the issuance of a law establishing economic courts, which is a procedural law aimed at achieving the required balance between the right to defense and the swift resolution of cases brought before courts. This is to be accomplished through three interrelated objectives the law seeks to achieve:

1. Establishing an economic court, with a judge assigned to preside over it. This designation extends to the expert appointed to conduct expert examinations in disputes heard before the court, as well as to the enforcement judge responsible for implementing its rulings.

2. Simplifying litigation procedures by reducing certain procedural deadlines, preparing cases, notifying parties of their statements, and enabling mutual access to memoranda and documents before referral to the competent court. Additionally, the remote litigation system will be activated, while ensuring the principle of confrontation between parties and safeguarding the right to defense.

3. Legislative flexibility, by carefully avoiding the rigidity of statutory provisions, which is considered one of the greatest flaws in legislation.

The Council of Ministers submitted the draft decree-law to His Highness the Amir, Sheikh Meshal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah.