Fujairah, UAE is to introduce an environmental fee that will apply to natural materials transported beyond its borders.
From 1 February, 2016, transporters will have to pay an on-the-spot cash charge of AED7 ($1.91) per transferrable ton.
Construction Week has been informed that Ras Al Khaimah will introduce an equivalent fee, although no official documentation has been produced to this effect.
Plans relating to the Emirate of Fujairah are set out in ‘Administrative Notification No. 1 for the year 2016 – Impose environmental fees for transferring the natural materials’.
The document, issued on behalf of the Government of Fujairah by Fujairah Natural Resources Corporation (FNRC), is addressed to “Managers and Owners for Mining Facilities in the Emirate of Fujairah”. However, the administrative notification stipulates that the fees will apply to the companies that transfer materials outside of the Emirate.
The notification, which was drafted by FNRC’s Eng Ali Mohammed Kasem, begins: “Please be aware that an environmental fee (7 AED per one (10 transferable ton will be imposed on the Mining Facilities).
“The fees will be received in cash from the transport companies, which transfer the material outside of Emirate of Fujairah, once the trucks leave the service centers in all the regions related to Fujairah Natural Resources Corporation,” it adds.
The document also calls for transporters to ensure that their drivers are able to pay in cash following the collection of natural materials.
“We hereby notify the transport companies and its drivers to provide the applicable fees and that it is paid in cash once the trucks pass the service centers”, the FNRC document states.
Administrative Notification No. 1 for the year 2016 is dated 18 January, 2016, meaning that transporters have been given just two weeks to prepare for the fee’s introduction.
Construction Week has contacted the Government of Ras Al Khaimah to ask whether reports over the introduction of an equivalent fee are accurate, but is yet to receive a response.