The GCC Committee of Undersecretaries of the Ministries of Finance held a meeting on Monday, 5 November 2018, in Kuwait. The committee stated that there is an intention to expand the scope of goods covered by the selective tax.

Finance Minister Ahmed bin Mohammed Al Khalifa said that they will contact the public opinion to explain the mechanisms of applying the Value Added Tax (VAT) before implementing it, indicating that they will give enough time to make sure that everyone has understood the application of this tax.

A Bahraini economist confirmed that all commodities not included in the list of 97 main commodities exempted from value added tax will be included in the implementation of the tax.

Why didn't the King of Bahrain explicitly say that he was the one who passed the law? Why didn’t the official newspapers say that the parliament's call for holding a tax law session was merely a nominal order to enforce the king’s will?

King of Bahrain once said: "I do not believe in the democracy of decrees!" In fact, he has never believed in anything but decrees. He also seemed to have forgotten the existence of a Shura Council and House of Representatives.

Bahrain's King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa issued an order dismissing the extraordinary session of the fourth legislative term of the Shura Council and House of Representatives.

The deputy secretary-general of Al-Wefaq Society, Sheikh Hussein Al-Daihi, said that the decision to impose the value added tax (VAT) is considered a “heinous crime”.

Bahrain does not plan to issue new U.S. dollar-denominated bonds this year, a central bank official told investors on Tuesday, after the kingdom secured a $10 billion aid package from Gulf neighbours last week, one source said.

The Al-Wefaq National Islamic Society described the day in which the Parliament approved the value added tax (VAT) as a “black day in the history of Bahrain”

Bahrain Chamber of Commerce and Industry (BCCI) has proclaimed its commitment to the implementation of the Value Added Tax (VAT) following its recent adoption by the Shura Council and the House of Representatives.

Bahrain’s appointed Shura Council approved the VAT bill. The council also approved during its first session of the extraordinary session of the fourth legislative session, held on (Sunday) morning, the recommendation of the Parliament's financial and economic affairs in the Shura Council, ratifying decree 47/2018 by approving the GCC States unified agreement of VAT.

Bahraini House of Representatives approved a draft law on Sunday (October 7, 2018) imposing value-added tax (VAT) for the very first time in Bahrain.

Bahrain's House of Representatives has approved a bill allowing for value-added tax to be collected, sending it onto the National Assembly's upper chamber, the Shura Council.

Bahraini legislators approved a draft law on Sunday that would see value-added tax (VAT) imposed for the first time in the kingdom, state news agency BNA reported.

Following a meeting with speaker of the chamber of deputies, Parliament's financial and economic affairs committee withdrew its recommendation regarding rejecting the value added tax decree.

A royal order is to be issued today to summon the House of Representatives and Shura Council to convene on Sunday and Tuesday in order to discuss a new constitutional amendment, the Gulf agreement related to the value added tax (VAT) and abolish the retirement of MPs, Shura members and members of municipal councils, according to information.

Bahrain plans to get structural reforms through parliament before a November election, including the introduction of value-added tax (VAT) and changes to the pension system, sources familiar with the matter said.

Press information mentioned that the Finance Ministry is about to assign “PricewaterhouseCoopers” company to do main tasks related to starting establishing a project for tax system and application of VAT.

Gulf officials have ruled out any plans by GCC states to raise the Value Added Tax (VAT) rate to 10 percent.