Regulatory Alerts2019-01-01
Law No. 149 of 2019 Issuing the Law Regulating the Practice of Civil Society Work
The President of the Arab Republic of Egypt issued Law No. 149 of 2019 to repeal the previous civil society framework and mandate that all associations, civil institutions, unions, and foreign non-governmental organizations regularize their legal status within one year or face court-ordered dissolution and asset transfer to a state fund. The legislation establishes strict registration requirements, caps foreign membership at 25%, prohibits unlicensed civil society activities, and empowers the competent ministry to supervise, suspend, or dissolve non-compliant entities while aligning all operations with constitutional principles and anti-terrorism measures. Furthermore, the law defines key legal terms, outlines establishment procedures for various civil society structures, and grants the Prime Minister six months to promulgate implementing executive regulations.