'Small Projects' Proposes 'Gulf Industrial Passport for Products' to Boost Integration and Support Entrepreneurship
- Unified digital file for product data facilitates their movement between Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) markets
The National Fund for the Development of Small and Medium Enterprises (NF-SME) submitted a proposal to develop the “GCC Industrial Product Passport” during the Sixth Consultative Meeting of 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 Committee for Small and Medium Enterprises and Entrepreneurship at the GCC Secretariat General prepared the proposals, recommendations, and challenges, and presented them at the consultative meeting held on Tuesday. The meeting was attended by Kuwait’s Minister of State for Economic and Investment Affairs and Acting Minister of Commerce and Industry, Abdulaziz Al-Marzouq, who led the Kuwaiti delegation.
The consultative meeting of GCC Ministers of Commerce and Industry with entrepreneurs was held in implementation of the directives of the Trade Cooperation Committee to enhance dialogue with entrepreneurs and involve them in developing the GCC entrepreneurial environment. The report was prepared according to the updated and approved methodology, within the framework of the governance of the Committee for Small and Medium Enterprises and Entrepreneurship.
The report reviewed the main challenges and proposals put forward by participating entrepreneurs, based on the outputs of the GCC survey, brainstorming sessions, and the views of entrepreneurs and member states. This contributes to enriching the committee’s action plan and guiding ministers’ directives to explore practical initiatives that enhance the competitiveness, integration, and sustainability of the sector.
Regarding the Kuwaiti proposal, the “GCC Industrial Product Passport,” presented by entrepreneur Omar Al-Mutairi, who is funded by the National Fund and one of the initiating participants in the meeting, the statement clarified that it refers to a single digital file for each product, not a new paper passport or license. The file would be linked to existing regulations and consolidate under a single number the most important product data, including manufacturer details, country of origin, customs classification, compliance, and required accreditations.
It noted that when a product moves from one GCC country 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 explained that the Kuwaiti proposal comes after GCC states have made significant progress in customs and industrial integration. However, the current challenge is ensuring that information moves as easily as the products themselves. Manufacturers entering multiple GCC markets may be forced to deal with different systems and authorities, resubmitting data and documents that have already been registered or approved, which consumes time and increases operational costs.
The statement added that the Small Enterprises Committee at the GCC Secretariat General recommended coordinating with the relevant technical committees on industrial matters and related bodies at the Secretariat General to review existing efforts regarding the Kuwaiti proposal, assess its compatibility with them, and evaluate its added value.
The Fund noted that all GCC countries submitted recommendations for the development of small and medium enterprises. Entrepreneurs in the United Arab Emirates proposed the establishment of GCC product corridors, while Bahraini entrepreneurs suggested creating a unified GCC mechanism to reduce technical challenges and enable entrepreneurs to access government services digitally.
Saudi Arabian entrepreneurs proposed activating a Gulf-wide linkage mechanism and establishing a Gulf platform to support innovators and creators, while Oman’s proposal focused on organizing periodic meetings. Meanwhile, Qatari entrepreneurs called for the development of a flexible Gulf framework for the shared use of resources and operational capacities.
