Economists and citizens expected that allowing individuals to import their cars directly and requiring agents to guarantee them would lead to a decline in car prices in the local market during the coming period. They stressed that the decision of the Ministry of Trade and Industry achieves full protection for the consumer and confronts the large, unjustified rise in car prices that the market is witnessing compared to the prices of neighboring countries. .
They stressed that the state is working to protect the consumer and stabilize prices in the market through this decision, which supports the market and opens the way for individuals to import their cars without problems, noting that the decision will lead to an increase in the number of cars imported from abroad in the market by individuals after the main fear was They suffer from the lack of warranty for the cars they import themselves.
Circular “Trade and Industry”
The Ministry of Trade and Industry, represented by the Department of Consumer Protection and Combating Commercial Fraud, had issued Circular (No. (1) of 2025), which allows individuals to import their cars directly and requires agents to guarantee them.
The Ministry revealed in a post on its official account on the social networking site All guarantees provided by the producer or principal for the commodity covered by the agency.
The Ministry stressed that it bears responsibility for not providing spare parts or guarantees for durable goods in accordance with the specified rules, and enables individuals who imported their cars directly from abroad to obtain warranty, spare parts and maintenance services, provided that the car conforms to Gulf specifications.
The Ministry stressed the provision of warranty, spare parts and maintenance for imported vehicles without undue delay. It also stressed the need to adhere to the terms of this circular in order to avoid detecting violations and taking legal measures against them.
Numbers of private cars
On the other hand, the average car registration in Qatar reached 6,189.95 units per month in the period from 2016 to 2024, reaching an all-time high of 12,203.00 units in October 2022 and a record low of 1,878.00 units in May 2020. Source Car registrations rose in Qatar to 7,733 units in July from 6,333 units in June 2024.
The Qatar Open Data Portal revealed that the number of private cars increased during October 2024 to 8,325 private cars after it was 7,675 cars in the previous month, September, and reached 6,641 in August. In July, the number of private cars reached 6,117 cars, and in June, the number reached 5,145 cars. In January 2024, the number reached 6,074 cars, while the number of cars declined in 2023, reaching about 5. Thousands of cars in January, 4,286 cars in February, and 4,283 cars in July 2023.
For its part, the Ministry of Commerce and Industry revealed on its website that the necessary measures will be taken to protect the consumer, in accordance with the laws and regulations in force within the powers carried out by the Department of Consumer Protection and Combating Commercial Fraud, which also includes implementing the provisions of the legislation regulating the protection of consumer rights and combating commercial fraud.
• And take the necessary measures to combat commercial fraud, in accordance with applicable laws and regulations.
• Coordination and cooperation with consumer protection associations and civil society bodies and institutions working in the field of consumer protection and awareness.
• And coordination with the competent authorities regarding taking inspection and analysis procedures and the extent of conformity with the standard specifications of goods and merchandise in the markets to protect the vital needs of the consumer and protect him from commercial fraud.
• Inspecting factories, shops, warehouses, and other places designated for manufacturing, selling, or storing food and household products to ensure their suitability, lack of fraud or spoilage, and the extent of their compliance with the established standard specifications, and arresting violators and taking the necessary measures against them.
• Receive complaints from consumers, verify them, and follow up on taking appropriate action regarding them.
• Spreading consumer awareness among members of society.
• Preparing and printing brochures and brochures related to consumer protection, in coordination with the Public Relations and Communication Unit.
• Developing and updating databases related to the Ministry’s personnel affairs.
Combating commercial fraud
The Ministry of Trade and Industry confirmed that the Anti-Fraud and Commercial Counterfeiting Department is responsible for implementing the provisions of legislation regulating the protection of consumer rights and combating commercial fraud. And take the necessary measures to combat fraud and commercial counterfeiting in accordance with applicable laws and regulations. Receiving reports related to fraud and commercial counterfeiting and taking the necessary measures regarding them.
Inspecting shops, warehouses, factories, and other places designated for selling, storing, or manufacturing goods, examining records, documents, and books, arresting violators, and taking the necessary measures regarding them in accordance with applicable laws and regulations.
And taking samples of goods that may be suspicious for the purpose of ensuring their safety and compliance with standard specifications and taking the necessary measures regarding them.
Supervising the preservation of samples received by the administration and following up on the procedures for examining and analyzing them to ensure their safety.
And coordination with the competent authorities or trademark owners for the purpose of ensuring the safety of the goods and their non-counterfeiting.
Receiving complaints from consumers, verifying them and finding solutions for them.
As for the Services Control Section, it implements the provisions of legislation regulating the protection of consumer rights and combating commercial fraud. And ensuring the quality of services provided to consumers in the markets in accordance with applicable laws and regulations.
Receiving complaints from consumers, verifying them and finding solutions for them. Considering the extent of the providers’ commitment to fulfilling the guarantees provided to the consumer in accordance with applicable contracts or laws and regulations.
Inspecting shops, stores, factories and various sales outlets and examining records, documents and books to ensure the extent of suppliers’ compliance with the applicable laws and regulations in the field of warranty and service provision.
Designing contract models for providing services to consumers.
Spreading consumer awareness
As for the Consumer Awareness Department, its mission is to spread consumer awareness among members of society. Organizing events and programs related to consumer affairs. Preparing and printing brochures and brochures related to consumer affairs in coordination with the Public Relations and Communications Department. Educating consumers and shop owners about activities that violate the provisions of legislation related to consumer affairs.
And coordination and cooperation with consumer protection associations and civil society bodies and institutions working in the same field. And updating information related to consumer affairs on the Ministry’s website in coordination with the Public Relations and Communications Department. And prepare reports on the business activities of the consumer affairs sector.
As for the Department for Control of Defective and Harmful Goods, its mission includes implementing the provisions of legislation regulating the protection of consumer rights and combating commercial fraud.
Follow up on recalls of defective, harmful or defective goods and take legal action against them. Following up on withdrawals of defective goods from the markets and taking the necessary measures regarding them.
Searching and investigating available information regarding defective or harmful goods, inspecting suspicious stores, and taking the necessary measures regarding them. And follow up on the return and replacement of defective or harmful goods.