Cabinet ratifies formation of committee on goods subject to import, export control

Abu Dhabi, 6 April, 2009 (WAM) - The Cabinet has approved a decision to add the existing supplementary allowance, equal to 70 percent of the salary, to the basic salaries of the UAE national employees working for the federal government.
In its meeting held here today under the chairmanship of Vice President and Prime Minister of UAE and Ruler of Dubai His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum and in presence of H.H. Sheikh Sultan bin Zayed Al Nahyan, deputy prime minister, the cabinet specified the allowance amount as equal to 70 percent of the current starting salary for each grade, and a minimum of AED 6,000 a month for pension salaries.
The decision applies to all serving employees and those who have retired after 1 January 2008.
The cabinet also ratified the establishment of the Emirates Competitiveness Council, under the chairmanship of H.E. Mohammed bin Abdullah Al Gergawi. The Council members include Their Excellencies the minister of economy, minister of foreign trade, minister of education, minister of labour, minister of health, minister of state for foreign affairs, minister of state for financial affairs, plus seven representatives from executive entities at local governments, the chairman of chambers federation, director general of Dubai Chamber of Commerce and Industry, and director general of Abu Dhabi Chamber of Commerce and Industry.
The new Council is mandated with developing strategies for UAE competitiveness, to propose suitable policies and initiatives, to publish periodical reports on the assessment of national competitiveness levels, to promote dialogue between public and private sectors, to track progress made in the fields of competitiveness and to enhance cooperation and coordination between federal and local entities.
The Council will seek to achieve the UAE's vision to become the world's most competitive country, to integrate UAE nationals into the development process, to utilise their capabilities and expertise in achieving performance excellence, to promote concept of positive competition and to attract national capabilities.
The cabinet also sanctioned formation of a committee on the commodities subject to import-export control. The committee is to be chaired by the Foreign Ministry, with representatives from the Interior Ministry, the Armed Forces, the Economy Ministry and the Federal Customs Authority.
The committee is assigned to cooperate and coordinate with the relevant authorities on the regulations relating to import and export, to study proposals by such authorities on prohibiting, excluding or restricting any commodity. It will prepare a set of proposals on the procedure, provisions and fees for import or export licenses for such commodities.
The committee was formed by virtue of federal decree no. 12 for 2008, which provides for amending provisions of federal law 13 for 2007 on commodities subject to import-export control that went to effect as of 25 September 2008.
The cabinet also approved opening a UAE consulate in the U.S. city of Los Angles, as well as embassies in Mexico, Ireland, Ethiopia, Portugal, Azerbaijan and Montenegro. Another federal law draft on protection of new types of plants by means of intellectual property was endorsed.
The cabinet discussed a number of topics on the agenda and took appropriate decisions on them.