Cairo: Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly emphasized the Egyptian government's dedication to streamlining licensing procedures for various business activities, focusing on the localization of production requirements, especially those related to civil protection standards.

According to State Information Service Egypt, during a meeting held on Monday, September 8th, 2025, Madbouly outlined the aim to establish a more efficient and transparent system that fosters economic growth and job creation. He stressed the need for prioritizing local products in satisfying safety and technical requirements.

The meeting was attended by several high-ranking officials, including Minister of Communications and Information Technology Amr Talaat, Minister of Local Development Manal Awad, Minister of Housing, Public Utilities and Urban Communities Sherif El-Sherbiny, and representatives from the Ministry of Interior, the Food Safety Authority, and the Civil Protection Department.

Minister Awad elaborated on ongoing efforts to simplify licensing for commercial activities. These efforts include setting clear standards for civil protection approvals, streamlining traffic permits based on customer footfall, and establishing a unified digital platform for license applications in collaboration with the ICT Ministry.

Awad also highlighted initiatives to modernize the public shops system by standardizing licensing requirements and procedures, introducing digital fee collection, and reducing approval times through a phased process with defined timelines. A new code for public shops has been introduced to guide fire safety requirements and training, with select staff granted judicial inspection authority.

Housing Minister Sherbiny discussed measures to revise civil protection requirements in licensing. He noted that the National Housing and Building Research Center has adopted three key principles: reducing safety compliance costs, promoting local industry to alleviate pressure on foreign currency, and engaging the private sector.

Sherbiny added that a draft of the Egyptian Code for Fire Safety Design and Construction has been completed. Fire safety regulations for buildings and public shops have also been finalized, with ongoing coordination with the Egyptian Organization for Standardization and Quality to oversee testing facilities for pumps, alarms, and fire suppression systems.

He also mentioned that new licenses have been issued for testing labs, and a comprehensive training plan has been launched for fire safety personnel, in partnership with the Ministry of Local Development, the Engineers Syndicate, and the Civil Protection Training Institute.