On 8 March 2017, Qatar's Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani approved for ratification the pending income tax treaty with Turkey ({News-2017-02-17/T/5- previous coverage}). The treaty was signed 18 December 2016, and once in force and effective will replace the 2001 tax treaty between the two countries. The new treaty will enter into force once the ratification instruments are exchanged and will apply from 1 January of the year following its entry into force.