The meeting closed by forming a joint Chamber–ministry committee, meeting weekly to follow implementation and reporting monthly to the federation’s board.
Chamber figures put the number of registered businesses at 41,000, up by 3,400 on last year, most of them in retail and logistics.
Where the divisions stand
Analysts expect no immediate effect on consumer prices: current stock covers market needs at least to the end of next quarter.
Every day of delay in customs release costs an importer more than any tax cut saves him.
The ministry’s representative stressed that the new rules aim at transparency in the supply chain rather than at fixing prices, and that breaches will go to the Consumer Protection Agency.
What it means for traders
- new pricing rules for staple goods among next quarter’s priorities
- A review of the timetable with the trade divisions
- A monthly report to the federation’s board
He added that stock turnover improved by close to 12% over the last quarter, but that the cost of finance remains the first obstacle to expansion in the governorates.
Samy Guirguis
Reem El-Qady
Hala Soliman