Ammon News - The Amman Chamber of Commerce postponed the anticipated start date for the shutdown of shops in multiple commercial sectors, originally set for the beginning of next month.

Khalil Al-Haj Tawfiq, the chairman of the chamber, stated in a press release from the Amman Chamber of Commerce that a meeting was convened today at the chamber with board members, representatives from the Jordan Chamber of Commerce, and leaders from unions and employers' associations in the affected sectors. They discussed updates and procedures for setting working hours. By the end of the meeting, it was decided to delay establishing the closing hours for certain sectors until the first quarter of the following year.

Al-Hajj Tawfiq noted that the Chamber, along with the Amman Municipality, agreed on postponing the process until new instructions are ready, undergoing legal stages over approximately two months. The Municipality aims to survey merchants in targeted sectors to gauge satisfaction levels and determine optimal closing times. The Chamber proposed different closing times to accommodate sector preferences, aiming to unify closing hours between 7 PM and 10 PM based on majority desires in each sector.

Al-Hajj Tawfiq mentioned that the anticipated timeline for introducing the concept of establishing closing hours is the first quarter of the upcoming year. Additionally, there are new industries that have asked to be part of the standardized closing schedule, and the upcoming time frame will allow for the examination of these appeals along with carrying out on-site inspections and online surveys with the members of these sectors.

Hajj Tawfiq verified that the Greater Amman Municipality has agreed that the guidelines to be enforced and monitored by the municipality will be adaptable, with the aim of ensuring compliance by all without issuing fines or collecting taxes, as some are concerned. The proposed guidelines will be collaboratively developed by the municipality, the chamber, and representatives of the sectors in question prior to being submitted to the legal committee and the municipality.

The cooperation of the Greater Amman Municipality was highly appreciated by the participants, as a spirit of partnership was evident in discussions and meetings aimed at serving the public interest and benefiting all parties in our beloved capital. The idea of establishing working hours originated from the chamber at the merchants' request, with coordination between unions and representatives of commercial sectors, and received a very high acceptance rate.