Speaker Abdel-Wahab Abdel-Razek said the Senate had received two government-drafted bills on vehicle manufacturing and the environment. "The two bills were first referred by the government to the House of Representatives which in turn has sent them to the Senate to be discussed," said Abdel-Razek.

The Senate's Industry and Trade committee has already begun discussing the new bill on vehicle manufacturing. The bill aims to establish a higher council for vehicle manufacturing and a fund to manage the financing of a local environment-friendly electric vehicle production industry.

"The committee had already approved the bill in a meeting that was attended by the Minister of Trade and Industry Ahmed Samir on 28 September. Therefore, the bill is set to be the first to be debated by the Senate in its upcoming plenary sessions. Once the Senate approves the bill, it will be referred to the House," said Mohamed Halawa, head of the Senate's Industry and Trade committee.

Halawa added that the 14-article bill, which is a part of the government's strategy to develop the local automotive industry, offers many incentives for investors to go into the new business of electric car production in Egypt.

"The committee's meeting was attended by representatives from major Egyptian vehicle producers and dealers like Ezz El-Arab, Ghabbour, Abou Ghali, Mansour, Toyota Egypt, AAV (the Arab American Vehicles), Khaled Nosseir and George Tinawi, as well as government officials from the Export-Import Control Authority, the Customs Authority, and the Industrial Development Authority for Local Manufacturing," he Halawa.

The 14-article bill states that "a higher council for vehicle manufacturing is to be established and chaired by the prime minister or anyone acting on his behalf." "The council will include as member the minister of trade and industry and at least two other members with expertise in the area of vehicle manufacturing," said article one.