Government to buy local pharmaceutical products

AMMAN — The Cabinet has added pharmaceuticals to the purchases of ministries and other governmental institutions limited to domestic products, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported. 

The decision applies if three domestic producers are available, which meet Jordanian standards and provide a certificate of conformity from the Jordan Standards and Metrology Organisation.

The purchases also have to meet the standards listed in the governmental purchases forms.

In addition to pharmaceuticals, the Cabinet had previously decided to limit its purchases to locally manufactured food, chemicals, packaging, leather and textiles, electronics, wooden and metal furniture, plastic products, agricultural materials and mineral lubricating oil.

In another decision taken on Monday, the Council of Ministers approved the amended by-law on buildings and the regulation of cities and villages for 2016.

The by-law, effective as of January 1, 2017, does not increase licensing fees, said Minister of Municipal Affairs Walid Masri, who added that financial penalties over violations, however, have been doubled.

The by-law gives owners of old buildings a grace period until June 30, 2017 to rectify their status.

Also during the meeting, the Cabinet received a report on progress in projects that were funded by the Gulf Cooperation Council grant.

The Council of Ministers was also briefed on the progress of a project to cultivate fodder in Theeban through agricultural cooperatives.

Water Minister Hazem Nasser said work to install water pipelines to the district is expected to conclude by March 2017.