Middle East Regulatory Update: Product Safety, Sustainability, Labor and More

This blog was originally posted on 15th December, 2025. Further regulatory developments may have occurred after publication. To keep up-to-date with the latest compliance news, sign up to our newsletter.

AUTHORED BY JUMANA IGHBARIA HAMAM, REGULATORY COMPLIANCE SPECIALIST, MOHAMMED ALREFAEI, REGULATORY COMPLIANCE ANALYST, & SAMI ROMDHANI, REGULATORY COMPLIANCE ANALYST, COMPLIANCE & RISKS

The latter half of 2025 has seen significant regulatory activity across the Middle East, with countries focusing on streamlining trade, advancing sustainability goals, and strengthening worker protection. Here is a summary of key developments in product safety, automotive, packaging, energy efficiency, data protection, sustainability, labor, and medical devices.  

Product Safety and Compliance

Several countries are introducing or amending laws to facilitate international trade and ensure consumer safety. Significant regulatory updates are being done in Israel, pushing forward with reforms to reduce regulatory burdens on importers:

• “What’s good for Europe is good for Israel” proposed amendment to the Seventh Schedule of the Standards Law (1953), which was issued in September 2025. This aims to enable the use of adopted European regulations as an alternative to Israeli standards for the manufacturing, import, sale, or use of a product for which an official standard exists.
• The “American Route” proposal issued in November 2025 aims to create an alternative path for goods subject to an official Israeli standard. This “American Route” would allow businesses to rely on compliance with U.S. Federal Regulation (The Adopted American Regulation), thereby reducing current regulatory burdens and pre-import testing. Government oversight is expected to shift from initial import inspections to market supervision and sample testing based on risk management.
• New standards for Air Conditioners, Liquid Chilling Units, Heat Pumps, and Refrigerated Display Cabinets were established by the Israeli Standards Institution in September 2025, replacing previous versions. Additionally, a Temporary Order was issued in September 2025 to exclude air conditioners with type A3 refrigerants from the regulation that allows import of goods meeting EU requirements.

Moreover, Regional Conformity Systems are being enhanced in other Middle East countries:

• Iraq‘s new Standard Specifications System No. 9 was published in September 2025, which aims to regulate the procedures for preparing, adopting, and monitoring the application of Iraqi Standard Specifications for all local and imported products and services. Compliance is mandatory, and products may not be displayed or offered without a Certificate of Conformity. The system enters into force on March 8, 2026.
• Egypt‘s Ministry of Industry and Transport issued Decisions No. 245 and 246 of 2025 in August, setting obligations and mandatory Egyptian Standard Specifications for producers and importers of engineering, chemical, and measurement goods.
• Jordan adopted the Globally Harmonized System (GHSs) Chemical Labeling, for the classification and labeling of chemicals with the full effect of standard DJS 990:2024. This mandates that labels for substances and mixtures include standardized hazard pictograms and statements in both Arabic and English, replacing previous national systems.
• United Arab Emirates’s (UAE) draft Cabinet Resolution on the System for the Control of Cosmetics and Personal Care Products from August 2025 aims to standardize cosmetics regulation by mandating product registration, ECAS or EQM certification, and strict adherence to GSO and ISO safety standards. It establishes comprehensive obligations for suppliers regarding labeling, Good Manufacturing Practices, and the maintenance of safety data.

Automotive and Transportation

Mandatory regulations for vehicle imports and the operation of autonomous vehicles are being updated across the region: 

• Israel‘s Mandatory Requirements (IMR) was updated in September 2025 by the Israeli Ministry of Transport and Road Safety (MOT) for importing vehicles. This included specific regulations for vehicles manufactured according to Canadian Regulations or European Directives and U.S. federal regulations, and standards for the 2026 calendar year (applying to categories M1, N1 and N2). 
• UAE’s Self-Driving Regulations (Dubai): The Dubai Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) published new regulations in November 2025 under Administrative Decision No. 939. These provide the framework for the operational, technical, and licensing of self-driving vehicles in Dubai, requiring factory-issued compliance certificates, public-road trials, and operational testing in Dubai’s specific climatic conditions.
• Saudi Arabia introduced several key regulations governing its transport sector: the Saudi Standards, Metrology and Quality Organization (SASO) published a Technical Regulation for self-driving vehicles in October 2025, which outlines specific obligations for manufacturers, importers, and distributors concerning product safety, risk assessments, and compliance with technical specifications related to driving automation systems, cybersecurity, and vehicle structural standards. 
• Additionally, SASO has issued public consultations on multiple ISO-aligned draft standards (Parts 6–12) specifying dimensions and safety requirements for various automotive cables, including RF, aluminium, and copper conductor cables. Simultaneously, the Executive Regulation for Heavy Goods Transport Operations was issued in September 2025, establishing the legal and operating framework for goods carriage by heavy vehicles (exceeding 3,500 kg); this regulation mandates businesses have at least ten technically compliant vehicles and a licensed center, while prohibiting the use of vehicles over 20 years old for heavy goods transport. Furthermore, a significant administrative burden was removed in October 2025 when the requirement for a bank guarantee of 200,000 Saudi Riyals to establish car distributorships, showrooms, or agencies was officially abolished.
• Kuwait adopted four Gulf Standard Specifications on Electrically Propelled Mopeds and Motorcycles as mandatory Kuwaiti Technical Regulations through Ministerial Decision No. (34) that was published and came into force on 30 November, 2025. This decision explicitly cancels any conflicting previous Kuwaiti technical regulations and standard specifications.

Packaging and Circular Economy Initiatives

Regulations are being introduced to align with international standards and improve circular economy in several countries, such as: 

• Israel‘s draft Order issued in September 2025 aims to incorporate recent amendments to Regulation (EU) No. 10/2011 on plastic materials and articles intended to come into contact with food. This includes adjustments related to recycled plastic materials for food contact.
• Israel‘s Plastic Packaging Standards were updated to include establishment of new Israeli Standards (IS) on Plastic Used for Flexible and Rigid Consumer Product Packaging, effective from September 2025.
• Bahrain‘s Draft Ministerial Order concerning the ban on single-use plastics was approved in October 2025 and is set to enter into force six months after its publication.
• Cyprus‘s EU Alignment: Regulation (EU) 2025/40 on packaging applies directly in Cyprus from November 2025, replacing the previous Directive 94/62/EC and ensuring uniform packaging standards and waste reduction efforts.
• Saudi Arabia Draft guidelines for sorting special waste, specifically e-waste, end-of-life vehicles, and tyres introduce Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) principles to mandate safe segregation and recycling.

Energy Efficiency

Some regulatory updates from the region in the field of energy efficiency are as follows:

• UAE Cabinet Resolution No. 157 of 2025 establishes binding technical regulations for the energy efficiency of small and large capacity air conditioners. It introduces two new mandatory labelling standards (UAE.S 5010-1:2025 and UAE.S 5010-5:2025), with a 365-day compliance window for all manufacturers, importers, and sellers.
• Kuwait‘s Ministerial Decision No. (12) of 2025 postpones the implementation of the technical requirements for the standard on “Rotating Motors – Efficiency Classifications for AC Motors” (KWS 1897:2023). The new effective date is March 1, 2026.
• Saudi Arabia updated, in November 2025, the General Technical Regulation for Energy Consumption Efficiency. Key changes include SASO 2892:2025 for refrigeration appliances (applicable 730 days after publication), and SASO 2847:2025 for Fuel Economy Labeling of Light Duty Vehicles, which will be mandatory starting with 2027 models.

Data Protection and Technology

The region is focusing on classifying data and easing compliance burdens for smaller entities. Here are some of the regulatory updates in this field: 

• Kuwait‘s Resolution No. 1 of 2025, issued in October, establishes a General National Framework for Data Classification. This national systematic framework classifies data based on its sensitivity and importance to ensure its protection and applies to all data (electronic and non-electronic) owned or processed by government, military, security, public, and private sector entities in Kuwait.
• Jordan‘s Data Protection Law No. 68 of September 2025 provides detailed mechanisms, procedures, and obligations for the exercise and enforcement of data rights.
• A Turkish Personal Data Protection Board’s Decision entered into force to ease the administrative burden for certain smaller organizations. The decision amends the exemption criteria for mandatory registration with the Data Controllers’ Registry (VERBİS), now extending the exemption to include data controllers whose main activity involves processing special categories of personal data, provided they employ fewer than 10 people and have an annual financial balance sheet total below TRY 10 million.
• The Communications, Space and Technology Commission (CST) in Saudi Arabia released a consultation document in October 2025, outlining the regulatory approach to Direct-to-Device (D2D) Satellite Communication. This aims to develop a framework for mobile connectivity directly to end-user devices. The CST also proposed draft technical specifications for ICT equipment (mobile phones, tablets, routers) that requires software support and firmware updates for a minimum of five years and mandates an embedded CST e-label.

Sustainability and Climate Action

Furthermore, climate commitments are being updated, and national frameworks for sustainable development are being established in the region: 

• Lebanon updated its Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC 3.0) that sets climate targets for 2035 under the Paris Agreement. This includes reducing national greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 22% below the Business-As-Usual (BAU) scenario, including generating 25% of its electricity demand from renewable energy sources. It is also aiming to reduce national GHG emissions by 33% below the BAU scenario, conditional on international support, including generating 30% of its electricity demand from renewable energy sources.
• Turkey‘s Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC 3.0) aims to reduce its GHG emissions by 466 MtCO2eq by 2035 compared to a business-as-usual scenario. This includes an economy-wide strategy and the development of a national Emissions Trading System (ETS).
• Jordan‘s NDC 3.0 represents a new, integrated approach with unconditional and conditional GHG emission reduction goals for 2030, prioritizing solutions such as the integration of green hydrogen and utility-scale energy storage, and embedding a 2050 net-zero trajectory.
• Yemen’s Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC 3.0) Framework targets 35% renewable energy by 2035, positioning climate action as a strategic pathway for post-conflict recovery and economic stability.
• Qatar’s Third Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC 3.0) raises its ambition by targeting 42 MMtCO2e in emission reductions by 2040, shifting to a transparent outcome-based approach across key energy and industrial sectors.

• The Israeli 2025 Voluntary National Review (VNR) details Israel’s progress and challenges in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The review calls for a national mechanism with authority to enforce obligatory SDG integration across all government ministries.
• In Saudi Arabia, SASO opened consultations on several draft standards in October 2025, including:
  • Stationary Source Emissions: For determining GHG emissions in energy-intensive industries (e.g., steel and cement).
  • Climate Resiliency Planning: A voluntary guideline for adapting infrastructure to manage climate risks.
  • Environmentally Conscious Design (ECD): Specifies procedures for integrating environmental aspects into the design of electrical and electronic products.
  • Water Statements: For the verification and validation of water data related to organizations and products.

Labor and Employment

New regulations are being implemented to protect workers, especially in vulnerable situations.

• UAE issued Resolution No. 598, with an amendment that strengthens the wage protection regime for private-sector workers by increasing enforcement against companies that repeatedly violate wage payment rules. Authorities will impose administrative fines and downgrade the company’s regulatory category for ongoing wage disputes or failure to pay salaries. The Resolution was published in the UAE’s Official Gazette on 15 September 2025, and entered into force on 1 July 2025. 
• Saudi Arabia‘s regulation on Occupational Health and Non-Communicable Diseases Examinations was published in October 2025, establishing a national policy for assessing workers’ medical and psychological suitability. It mandates pre-employment screening, periodical examinations, and exceptional examinations following injuries, applying to all sectors and remote workers.
• Egypt‘s Decree No. 214 of November 2025 regulates the contractual relationship between employers and employees based on the new Labor Law No. 14 (2025), aiming to ensure a balance of rights and a stable work environment.
• In August 2025, Israel amended the Protection of Workers in Times of Emergency Law by adding a new clause to protect employees who were absent from work because they were forced to evacuate their homes due to war-related operations. Also, a bill was proposed in October 2025 to establish a “Parenting Hour” at work for widowers or widows of IDF soldiers or individuals who died as a result of hostilities.

Medical Devices

Regulatory frameworks are being established or updated to manage the import and manufacturing of medical devices: 

• In Egypt, a Decision was issued in June 2025 (published in September) to establish regulatory rules and conditions specifically for Toll Manufacturing companies of medical devices. These rules apply to local companies that contract with EDA-licensed factories to produce their medical supplies.
• Moreover, in September 2025, the Egyptian Drug Authority (EDA) published several new and updated Regulatory Guides, on key procedures, including:
  • Registration and Issuance of Import Approvals for Laboratory and Diagnostic Reagents.
  • Obtaining Import Approvals for Laboratory and Diagnostic Equipment and their Accessories.
  • Rules Governing Changes to Medical Device Registration Notification Data.
  • Rules and Procedures Governing the Import and Export of Medical Device Samples.
• Bahrain adopted Gulf Standards for implantable and in vitro diagnostic devices in August 2025.
• In September 2025, Saudi Arabia proposed a Draft Regulation for the Establishment and Implementation of a Quality Control (QC) Program for Medical Radiological Equipment. This regulation applies to equipment used in dental radiology, diagnostic imaging, and radiotherapy, and requires the development of a QC program and testing supervised by adequately trained individuals, such as certified medical physicists.
• Furthermore, Saudi Arabia also issued the Guidance on Digital Health Products (MDS–G27), which clarifies the regulatory distinctions between medical devices and general wellness products, setting specific compliance pathways for software developers.

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