Several steps have been taken by the Egyptian government recently to improve the main road networks, and establish new bridges, in addition to upsurging the efficiency of the existing ones. Not only that but also the government pays a great deal of attention to protect citizens with all safety measures while executing their plans.

Amongst the several issues handled while developing roads are the outdoor advertisements. Thus, the government has discussed issuing a new draft law to regulate this issue. In May, Minister of Housing, Utilities, and Urban Communities Assem El Gazzar, Mahmoud Shaarawi, Minister of Local Development, Kamel Al-Wazir, Minister of Transport, held a meeting to discuss the draft Law No. 208 of Year 2021 to regulate the status of outdoors advertisements.

Here are the highlights:

1- Aternative & Renewable Energy: the new draft law has determined using motivating means to utilize from the alternative and renewable energy sources in lighting the advertisements.

2-Prevent Accidents: Rules must be followed to guarantee road safety in case of Advertisements falling and it shouldn’t distract drivers and put their lives at risk.

3-     The Law Target: This law aims at estatetablishing a unified agency, named National Agency for Advertising Regulation, which reports to Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly.

This agency aims to organize investment, plan, manage, and evaluate advertising activities in Egypt; and set new unified legislation for all types of advertisements and banners.

Additionally, it cancels everything related to advertising in other legal and legislative sources.

According to Nafisa Hashim, First Undersecretary – Head of Housing and Utilities Sector, the new draft law includes 10 articles clarifying the procedures needed to get ads licenses, in addition, to preparing 9 forms for all the procedures specified in the regulation.

4- Electronic Requests:  The draft law includes issuing a paper or electronic record to include licensing requests and all data related to the advertiser. Additionally, all documents and approvals needed to get the license need to be specified.

5- Launching a website or an application to cope with the government’s steps towards digitization.

6- New Conditions & Procedures:  The draft law has determined new regulations for issuing the license and the violations of the law as well.

It is worth highlighting that the government has attempted to issue this law since 2018 as the Parliament Transportation Committee back then suggested a law to limit the outdoor advertisements for safety concerns.

To wrap up, the new law for outdoor advertising aims at putting the safety aspect as a number one priority while executing their plans. Therefore, the government spares no effort on issuing it soon.