Syria’s Ministry of Economy Streamlines Business Registration
As part of ongoing efforts to improve the business environment and stimulate investment in Syria, the Ministry of Economy and Industry has announced a new initiative to streamline and simplify the procedures for establishing companies. The initiative centers on a transition toward providing services via an electronic portal, a move intended to reduce the need for traditional in-person visits to government offices. By saving time and effort for investors and business owners, the ministry aims to accelerate the launch of new economic projects.
Mohamed Allaq, Director of the Companies Directorate at the General Administration for Internal Trade and Consumer Protection, noted that the directorate is seeing a growing interest in registering both domestic and foreign companies. Allaq explained that the new facilities allow Arab and foreign investors to register branches of their companies within Syria. Additionally, the process now accommodates the registration of non-exclusive agencies for commercial activities that companies may be executing abroad. He added that the directorate currently processes a high volume of daily applications, ranging from the establishment of new firms to the filing of required documentation.
Emama Mohamed, Head of Company Affairs Follow-up at the directorate, stated that the services cover all legal forms of companies. This includes limited liability companies, one-person companies, private and public joint-stock companies, and holding companies. She emphasized that the directorate’s mandate extends beyond the initial registration phase; it also manages subsequent legal amendments. These include company name changes, adjustments to business objectives, and the registration of transfers, all of which are essential to maintaining a company’s stable legal status within the commercial registry.
Addressing the technical aspects of this shift, Hossam Al-Youssef, Head of the Companies Department, explained that the move to electronic applications is part of a broader program for digital transformation and government automation. While Al-Youssef acknowledged certain operational pressures and challenges associated with the pilot stage—along with a lack of technical familiarity among some applicants, which has occasionally led to minor delays when inaccurate data is submitted—he expressed confidence in the transition. He noted that once the electronic platform stabilizes, the need for physical visits will be significantly reduced. In the future, in-person attendance will be restricted to specific, essential milestones, such as opening accounts and identity verification via fingerprinting.
These updates follow the inauguration of the Companies Directorate in Damascus in July 2025 and the launch of the electronic registration service in July 2026. These efforts are part of a broader strategy to organize the business environment and clarify the legal rights and obligations of partners and companies operating in Syria.
Source: Syria Focus Arabic
