The President of the Sharia Issues a Decree to Exempt Customs Violations from Fines and Fees
President Ahmed Al-Sharaa issued a decree exempting the customs violations stipulated in the Customs Law No. (38) of 2006 and its amendments from fines, fees and taxes, according to specific conditions related to settlement and payment of basic fees only.
The decree, No. (117) of 2026, included violations committed before December 8, 2024, while granting a period of 6 months to make settlements, while excluding drug-related crimes and offenses for which final judicial rulings have been issued or previously settled.
This decree represents a step to open the door to customs settlements for violators, in a way that eases the financial burden on traders and importers and allows the return of goods and means of transport that are reserved to their owners after paying only the basic fees.
From an economic point of view, the decree seeks to boost the revenues of the public treasury by collecting due fees and taxes, rather than accumulating fines that may impede settlement or lead to the loss of goods , and sends a message of conditional legal tolerance, balancing deterrence and amnesty, and providing an opportunity to reintegrate commercial activity within the regulatory framework.
Restructuring the National Committee for Import and Export by Raising the Level of Ministerial Representation
President Al-Shara issued Decree No. (107) of 2026, which reconstituted the National Committee for Import and Export, to include in its membership the Ministers of Economy and Industry, Finance, Health, and Agriculture, in addition to the President of the General Authority for Ports and Customs as Chairman of the Committee, in addition to the Deputy and Assistants Ministers of Economy, Finance and Local Administration, and the Director General of Customs.
Compared to the previous formation
The new decree raised the level of government representation compared to Decree No. (263) of 2025, which was limited to assistant ministers and directors general.
According to legal experts, this shift reflects a desire to give the committee greater executive weight and ensure that decisions related to import and export are made quickly without the need to make recommendations through intermediate administrative levels.
Background and Dimensions of the Decision
Raising the level of representation in the National Import and Export Committee transforms it into a superior platform for formulating foreign trade policies, giving it greater flexibility and speed in responding to market demands.
The presence of the Ministers of Finance and Economy within the Committee allows for an immediate assessment of the impact of any decision on foreign exchange reserves and exchange rate stability, while the involvement of the Ministers of Agriculture and Health ensures that decisions related to the agricultural calendar or the regulation of the import of certain products take into account the balance between protecting local production and maintaining food security.
The new formation strengthens direct coordination between customs, financial, industrial and agricultural policies under the supervision of the Presidency of the Republic, giving decisions greater binding power and reflecting a strategic orientation towards a more integrated management of the import and export file