Government Communication issues the most prominent reform and development legislation that the government worked on in its first year.

Four main pillars for developing and reforming public finances, strengthening the government system and the rule of law, improving the legislative environment for investment, and raising the level of basic services.

-10 reform and development legislations were completed and issued during the year.

Eleven draft reform and development laws and regulations are awaiting approval and adoption, and five other drafts are under study and preparation.

The Government Communication Center, in cooperation with the Executive Office for Institutional Development and Reform at the Prime Minister's Office, issued a report today, Monday, summarizing the results of monitoring the implementation of the executive plan to complete key developmental and reform-oriented legislation, which the 19th government, headed by Mohamed Mostafa, worked on during its first year.

These legislations are among the key priorities in the first phase of the National Development and Reform Programme, which includes seven initiatives and four reform pillars aimed at enhancing the legislative environment and strengthening the state's institutional structure.

According to a Government Communication Center report, the government has sought to develop the legislative environment to ensure the successful and effective implementation of government initiatives aimed at improving the quality of government services, strengthening the institutional structure, enhancing the performance of the government apparatus, and enhancing its flexibility and ability to adapt to rapid developments and changes. Efforts have focused on four main areas, as follows:

1. Developing financial policies and public finance management: by enhancing local revenues and rationalizing public spending, ensuring the efficiency and sustainability of financial resources.

2. Strengthening the governance system and the rule of law: by supporting legal frameworks and enhancing the efficiency of the judicial system, thus consolidating the principle of the rule of law and promoting integrity, transparency, and the speedy resolution of cases.

3. Improving the legislative and regulatory environment for investment and business: by digitizing business services and issuing and updating the laws regulating them, which contributes to facilitating the practice of economic activities and attracting investments.

4. Improving the level of basic services provided: This includes many sectors such as water, energy, health, communications, education, and social protection, ensuring the provision of more efficient, comprehensive, and equitable services.

In light of the above, and to follow up on the completion of the necessary legislation to implement the National Development Program in its first phase for the years 2025-2026, an executive plan was prepared for the legislation required to be completed during this year 2025, tracking its progress stages from preparation to issuance and publication, according to four classifications: 1. Completed, issued and published legislation. 2. Completed legislation awaiting ratification by the President. 3. Legislation currently being considered by the Council of Ministers for reading. 4. Legislation currently under public consultation with civil society and relevant authorities, in preparation for submission to the Council of Ministers.

First: Completed and issued reform legislation, which is:

1. Law Decree No. (25) of 2024 amending Enforcement Law No. (23) of 2005, which aims to ensure the acceleration of enforcement procedures before the competent enforcement departments, including the implementation of judicial rulings, which will contribute to enhancing the effectiveness of the judicial system, increasing confidence in the justice system and strengthening civil peace.

2. Decree-Law No. (26) of 2024 regarding value-added tax, which is a necessary step to achieve tax justice, improve national revenues, and enhance the efficiency of the tax system.

3. Decree-Law No. (24) of 2024 AD amending the Civil and Commercial Procedures Law No. (2) of 2001 AD and its amendments, which aims to employ electronic means in litigation procedures in a way that ensures the speedy adjudication of lawsuits, and saves time and effort in accessing justice.

4. Decree-Law No. (11) of 2025 regarding competition, which aims to protect and promote competition in the market, prohibit practices that prevent, restrict or harm competition, address any market imbalance resulting from practices that violate competition, and take the necessary measures in accordance with the provisions of the Decree-Law. In addition to ensuring that product prices are determined according to the rule of supply and demand, encouraging competitive behavior among establishments, ensuring the freedom of entry and exit of investors to the Palestinian market, and limiting exclusionary policies from the Palestinian market.

5. Within the framework of the government’s reform plan for the governance of public institutions in the country, with the aim of streamlining the institutional structure, promoting rationalization of spending in the public sector, preserving public funds, and improving the performance of institutions in providing more just and transparent services to citizens, the nineteenth government has done the following:

A. Cancellation of the (Agricultural Risk Mitigation and Insurance Fund) pursuant to Decree-Law No. (11) of 2024 AD.

B. (Cancellation of the Independence Bank for Investment and Development) pursuant to Decree-Law No. (14) of 2024 AD.

6. Decree-Law No. (17) of 2024 regarding electronic transactions and trust services, which aims to regulate and develop the legal infrastructure for electronic transactions and trust services, promote and protect e-commerce, and establish standards and procedures related to the integrity of electronic transactions and records. In addition to granting legal authority to electronic transactions and trust services, protecting the rights of users, promoting the use of electronic transactions in the public and private sectors, and reducing fraud and forgery crimes in electronic transactions.

7. Decree-Law No. (19) of 2024 AD amending Decree-Law No. (43) of 2021 AD regarding the management of state property, which aims to regulate the mechanisms for managing state property, in a manner that ensures its preservation, improving its exploitation and investment, and developing its resources in a better and more effective manner.

8. The Companies Registry and Electronic Registration Management, Procedures and Fees System No. (2) of 2025, which aims to reduce the administrative burden on new and existing companies, thus contributing to enhancing compliance with the law, and organizing and activating electronic registration and electronic signature on applications and documents submitted to the Companies Registry, through the automated registration system, which will help in the registration process in a faster and more transparent manner, and eliminate the need for paper transactions and personal visits to government offices.

9. The system for obligating the purchase of national products in public procurement No. (3) of 2025, which aims to obligate the purchase of national products in government tenders, in support of the national economy, local industry, and the creation of job opportunities, as the system obligates government purchasing agencies to apply a price preference for the national product at a rate of 15% in all purchasing operations that they implement.

Second: Completed legislation awaiting ratification (referred by the Council of Ministers to the President for issuance)

1. A decree-law amending the Public Debt Law of 2025. The amendment aims to provide appropriate economic indicators for financial and monetary policymakers to service public debt, consistent with the nature and capabilities of the Palestinian economy, to protect it and prevent it from being exposed to the risks of a worsening public debt crisis.

2. Decree-Law establishing the Cybersecurity Authority, which aims to build an effective cybersecurity system that protects the country from cyberspace threats and efficiently and effectively confronts them to protect individuals, property, and information.

3. A decree-law on e-commerce, which aims to regulate e-commerce in the absence of a legal and legislative environment governing it. This will contribute to enhancing consumer confidence, regulating the sale of products and services online, encouraging investment in the digital economy, and supporting start-up companies.

4. Cancelling and merging some state institutions to reduce financial expenditures: Through a draft decree-law on the governance of a number of non-ministerial government institutions, namely the Cooperative Labor Authority, the Land and Water Settlement Authority, the National Authority for Vocational and Technical Education and Training, the Palestinian National Institute of Public Health, and the Radiation and Nuclear Regulatory Authority.

Third: Legislation under development is currently being presented to the Council of Ministers for reading, as follows:

1. Laws:

A. A decree-law on the protection of personal data, which aims to protect individuals' privacy and regulate the methods of collecting, processing, and using their personal data. It also aims to achieve a balance between individuals' rights to protect their data and the legitimate needs of entities handling this data, whether governmental or private, in a manner that ensures the protection of data owners' rights from unlawful exploitation, supports digital transformation, enhances the digital economy, reduces legal risks that may hinder it, and enhances confidence in the digital environment. (A new draft decree-law has been presented in its first reading to the Council of Ministers, and work is ongoing to complete its presentation in the three readings until its proper approval. The Ministry of Communications and Digital Economy is working on introducing comments on the draft decree-law to complete its presentation to the Council of Ministers.)

b. Decree-Law on Investment Promotion, which is the regulatory legislation for the Investment Promotion Authority, specifies the mechanisms necessary to provide guarantees to investors, identifies the incentives offered to them, and sets out mechanisms for creating an appropriate climate to encourage investment with the aim of creating investment projects and providing new job opportunities to improve the country's economic level. (It was presented to the Council of Ministers in the first and second readings, and the Investment Promotion Authority is working on introducing comments on the draft decree-law to complete its presentation to the Council of Ministers.)

T. Decree-Law on Local Authorities Elections, which aims to amend the electoral system for local authorities by addressing the legal, procedural, and societal issues that accompanied the current law. (It was presented to the Council of Ministers in its first reading, and the Ministry of Local Government is working to incorporate comments on the draft decree-law to complete its presentation to the Council of Ministers.)

d. Amending Decree-Law No. (10) of 2018 regarding cybercrimes and its amendments, which is the legislation that defines and criminalizes illegal acts committed using technology and modern means of communication, and establishes the legal framework for addressing these crimes. This amendment aims to address the legal problems in the current legislation, the most important of which is not restricting or violating freedom of opinion and expression, and creating the necessary legal guarantees for that. (It was presented with comments to the Council of Ministers in the first reading, and a specialized national committee was formed to amend the Decree-Law. The formed committee is working on introducing comments on the draft Decree-Law to complete its presentation to the Council of Ministers.)

C. A decree-law amending the Civil Service Law No. (4) of 1998, which aims to regulate appointments in the public service in a manner that achieves justice, transparency, and equal opportunities for all citizens equally, and to amend the salary scale in a manner consistent with the public interest and the interest of public employees as well. (It was presented in the first reading to the Council of Ministers).

2. Regulations and systems:

1. Amending the Non-Profit Companies System No. (20) of 2022, which aims to facilitate and simplify the procedures for registering non-profit companies, and the procedures for obtaining the necessary funding to enable them to achieve the objectives for which they were established, within the framework of regulatory controls and follow-up by the competent ministry. (It was presented to the Council of Ministers in the first reading, and the remaining proposals are being completed for approval. The Ministry of National Economy is working on entering the comments to complete its presentation to the Council of Ministers).

2. The Electronic Judicial Notification System, which aims to integrate electronic means into judicial work to expedite the adjudication of lawsuits. (It was presented to the Council of Ministers in its first reading, and the remaining readings are being completed for approval.)

Fourth: Legislation under study and preparation and about to be presented to the Council of Ministers, shown as follows:

1. Decree-Law on Public-Private Partnerships (the private sector will be consulted through extensive discussion workshops prior to its submission to the Cabinet). The Decree-Law aims to enhance private sector participation in development and service projects implemented by the government sector, in addition to exchanging financial, administrative, organizational, technical, and technological expertise with the aim of raising the level of government services and contributing to the involvement of the private sector in providing services to citizens, which will alleviate the burden on the treasury and increase the state's financial returns.

2. Decree-Law on the Right to Access Information, which guarantees citizens' right to access information held by government agencies and public bodies. It aims to enhance transparency and accountability in government work and public institutions, empower citizens to participate effectively in public life, and enhance citizens' ability to search for and access information held by state institutions, regulating and activating the free flow of information within the limits set by law.

3. Amending Decree-Law No. (8) of 2011 regarding income tax, with the aim of strengthening the fight against evasion and fraud, protecting public funds, improving compliance, enhancing transparency and integrity in collection, achieving social justice, and enhancing citizens’ confidence in the state.

4. Amending Decree-Law No. (42) of 2021 regarding companies, with the aim of addressing the legal loopholes that arose during the implementation of the current Decree-Law, including digitizing the companies’ registry and online registration.