Since becoming an independent State in 1971, Bahrain has witnessed spectacular economic growth and has transformed from an essentially agricultural base, where the main products were pearls and dates, to a modern industrial, business and service center and is today acknowledged as being the banking hub of the region. Over the past years the Government has been the engine of the economy, using oil revenues diligently in order to provide a modern physical and legal infrastructure without having to resort to traditional forms of taxation. The result is a vibrant economy, a population which is well educated and adaptable, and a private sector ready to reach out to the global market. The Government is now progressively moving way from its involvement in productive processes, to that of facilitator of private sector initiatives.
Bahrain is service-based economy, and the Government is keen to ensure that as the provider of many services to the public, it should be an exemplar in terms of the delivery of those services, and the use of the latest technology. The Ministry of Industry & Commerce, in particular as the main organ of Government responsible for the registration and supervision of businesses in Bahrain, perceives its role as providing value added services to its customers in the form of enhanced information and business processes.
The Ministry of Industry & Commerce is responsible for a diverse range of activities which make up the commercial environment in Bahrain, including inter alia the registration of all forms of commercial business, commercial agencies, industrial property, standards and metrology, foreign trade as well as a number of other related activities. In general the Ministry's aim is to ensure the maintenance of an open, transparent and market driven commercial environment so as develop Bahrain's economic competitiveness, and to encourage inward investment, at the same time promoting employment for the local population.
