The Qatar Financial Centre ('QFC') is a global business and financial centre with an independent legal and regulatory infrastructure. It was established by the Qatar Financial Centre Law (Law No. (7) of 2005) ('the QFC Law'), which also provided the QFC Authority ('QFCA') with the power to produce the Data Protection Regulations and the Rules that govern data protection law in the QFC today.

Marking 16 years since the introduction of the QFC's 2005 Data Protection Regulations ('the Regulations') and 2005 Data Protection Rules ('the Rules') (collectively 'the 2005 Legislation'), the QFCA has reviewed each of the Regulations and Rules in light of global developments in data protection law and proposed various changes to the same. Following said review, the QFCA launched a public consultation on the proposed changes for a period, ending on 16 September 2021. On 21 December 2021, the 2021 Data Protection Regulations ('the 2021 Regulations') and the 2021 Data Protection Rules ('the 2021 Rules') were issued by the QFC, adding to, and introducing new data protection provisions in the QFC.

With regards to implementation, the commencement date of the 2021 Regulations and the 2021 Rules is 180 days from the date of their issuance (i.e. 21 May 2022) as per Article 3 of the 2021 Regulations. Notably, the 2021 Regulations and the 2021 Rules will come into force on the same date, 21 May 2022, at which point the 2005 Legislation will be repealed (Article 3 of the 2021 Regulations).

This Insight article highlights the main changes which the 2021 Regulations bring to the QFC's data protection regime.