I- The issuing of the Industrial Cities Legislative Decree No. 57 of 2004 was an important event and a qualitative leap in the activation and development of studying and implementing the investment of the industrial cities, where the implementation of this decree has led to:
- Formation of a council for each of the industrial cities who enjoys wide powers.
- Formation of an independent management team for each industrial city, financially and clerkly and headed by a General Manager.
- Adoption of One Stop Shop Concept in every industrial city to implement all investors requests of all ministries and concerned authorities and the simplification of administrative procedures. 

1 - The Industrial City Council:
The council is composed of fifteen members as follows:
- The Governor as a President.
- General Manager of the industrial city as a Vice President.
- Director of Finance in the governorate as a member.
- Director of the General Company for Electricity in the governorate as a member.
- General Director of the General Establishment of Water in the governorate as a member.
- General Manager of the General Sanitation Establishment in the governorate as a member.
- Director of the Industry in the governorate as a member.
- Director of Environment in the governorate as a member.
- Director of Communications in the governorate as a member.
- Chairman of the Chamber of Industry in the governorate as a member.
- Chairman of the Chamber of Commerce in the governorate as a member.
- Four investors, elected by the investors themselves as members. 

2 - The Objectives of the Industrial City:
A – planning, organizing and establishment the industrial city.
B – Managing the industrial city and investing it.
C - Encourage the transference of existing industries to the industrial city.
D - Encourage the establishment of new industrial projects in the industrial city.
E – Marketing, promotion and attracting domestic and foreign investment capitals.
F- Coordinating with the public bodies to give the necessary powers for the city so as to enable the application of One Stop Shop Concept in their dealings with investors.

3 - The Powers of the Industrial City Council:
A - Own the necessary land for the establishment of the industrial city.
B - The provision of basic services to the industrial city.
C - Sale of divisions within the city, after taking into account the investment costs of the services referred to in paragraph e of this article.
D – Define the procedures to be taken into account to preserve the environment from pollution coming out from industries in the industrial city in cooperation with the competent authorities.
E – Coordinating with concerned public bodies to provide basic services to the industrial city (roads - water - electricity - sewage - telephones .... etc).
F – Proposing any investment regulations for the city, including in particular the sale of the divisions and investing it.
G –Installing of a system to invest the allocated divisions for housing in the city.
H - Grant building permits and necessary administrative licenses for the establishment and investment of the plants and projects within the city borders.

4 – The Tasks of the Industrial City Council:
A –Determine the development policy for the city.
B – Propose investment regulations.
C – Draft the budget proposal for the city.
D – Propose the regulations draft of the city.
E – Propose the internal rules of the city.
F – Determine the number of staff in the city which shall be issued in a decree on the proposal of the Minister.
G – Declare the winners of the tenders and requests for quotations and the contract by mutual consent in accordance with regulations in force within the limits of the powers of the governors and the executive offices of the governorates councils. 

5 - Industrial City Resources:
A - Resources resulting from the various aspects of its activities.
B - Loans and credit facilities.
C - Subsidies allocated by the State Budget.
D - The allowance specified by the Council for the expenses of management and providing services.
E - Licensing fees, works and fines defined by the laws and regulations in force.
F- Net profit premiums, reserves and depreciation of fixed assets.
G - Grants, subsidies and any other resources authorized by the laws and regulations in force.
H -The carried forward budget and reserve funds.

6 - Industrial City One Stop Shop:
The relevant ministries (Finance - Industry - Electricity - Communications - Housing and Construction - Health - Economy and Trade - Interior - tourism - and Social Security - Customs - -..... Banks, etc) shall establish by its regulations, centers, offices or departments in the cities to be able to execute the investors' requests in the city.

7 - Industrial City Ownership:
- Each city is linked directly to the Minister of Local Administration and the Environment.
 
II - The purpose of creating the industrial cities:
The creation of Industrial cities is considered as one of the most important factors in the implementation of the national development strategy and the promotion of industrial development and economic growth. Its contribution in achieving progress and prosperity creates the appropriate environment to attract local, Arab and foreign industrial investments, and to accommodate the expansion in the current and future industries whilst increasing exports and securing employment opportunities.
 
III- Benefits of the investment in the industrial cities

1. Industrial Cities provides land serviced with infrastructure / roads - electricity - water - sewage – phone lines - parks / and service buildings ready to set up factories and industrial plants / food - textiles - chemicals - engineering / with areas to meet the needs of all investors.

2. The lands are sold to investors under mutual consent contracts at the actual cost and without profit and in premiums for / 5 / years.

3. The industrial cities are achieving a high industrial investment through the adopted construction system.

4. Industrial cities provide labor housing and all of its services.

5. The low costs of electricity transformation stations are remarked in the industrial cities compared to their costs outside.

6. Save time, effort and money in the administrative procedures licensing when industrial investment projects are launched.

7. The industrial cities provide interaction and integration between all types of industries and trades due to the neighborhood and concentration in the industrial city and that helps to meet the needs of each other.

8. Lower tax rate for plants and factories in the industrial city compared to outside it.

IV- Distribution of land in the industrial cities:

Every industrial city contains:
• lands allocated for the establishment of factories and plants of various industries (food - tissue - engineering - chemical).
• lands allocated for the establishment of public service buildings / electricity transfer stations – police departments - clinics - hospitals – water containers - fire stations - telephone, post offices - water treatment plants - gardens and green spaces - free zones - dry port - customs - freight terminals, etc. .... /.
• lands allocated for the establishment of the commercial service buildings / banks - insurance companies - commercial markets - the halls of fairs - cinemas- theaters - hotels - restaurants - bakeries - gas stations - and the rehabilitation of training centers - stores .... etc. /.
• Lands allocated for labor and administration housing with complete facilities.

V- The beneficiaries of the lands allocated for the establishment of projects and industrial plants:
lands and industrial divisions are sold to all industrialists and artisans in accordance with the following priorities:
1. Entrepreneurs and owners of industrial plants approved by the Supreme Council for Investment in accordance with the provisions of Act No.10 of 1991, and its amendments, and obtainers of official licenses.
2. Investors of projects and industrial plants licensed in accordance with the provisions of Act No. 10 of 1991 wishing to move to the industrial city or those relocated for security, environmental or regulatory reasons and the investors of projects and owners of industrial plants of the class I and II, licensed under the Decree 2680 of 1977, who were warned to demolish their shops to implement industrial projects of public utility or those who were transferred to it for security, environmental or regulatory reasons.
3. Industrialists obtained licenses of the new industrial categories I and II and other occupations traders identified in the third category by Decree2680 of 1977 which authorized a permanently or on temporary basis and required them to move to the industrial city and the occupations of newly licensed Class III, and the one to assess the possibility to absorb them is the industrial city Council.

VI: The required documents for subscription to the industrial divisions in the industrial cities:
- A copy of the personal identification card or a copy of the passport.
- A certified copy of the formal license issued by the competent authority.
- An official receipt for the payment of the guarantee.
- The investor completion and signing of the standard application form prepared by the management of the industrial city.
Note:

The industrial licenses in the industrial city are granted at the One Stop Shop.
 
VII - The allocation and delivery of industrial divisions and the contracting:
• The industrial investors are allocated in a division respectively with his turn in the subscription request by him to the management of industrial city and after having paid one third of the value of the section he subscribed for.
• The industrial investors will be handed his section keys straight away after he is allocated in a division.
• Conclusion of the contract of sale with the industrial investors shall be signed within ten days from the date of receiving his keys on the most part.

VIII: Building permits and the final administrative licensing in the industrial cities:

• Building permits are granted at the request of industrial investors by the management of the industrial city within 48 hours after the investor's provision of geometric plans and executive files and the ratification by the Engineers Association in accordance with the building regulating system adopted in the city, and after the payment of fees for the benefit of the industrial city.

• The industrial investors must complete the building permit and directly construct his business plant within six months from the date of allocation and his receipt of its keys, and has to accomplish it within the period specified in the license resolution. This period may be extended by the license issuer depending on the circumstances.
• The final administrative license is granted by the City Council after the completion of the industrial plant and placement of the equipment, machinery and tools in accordance with geometric plans and granted permits.

The created Industrial Cities:
In accordance with Legislative Decree No. 57 of 2004 four industrial cities were created which are:
- Industrial city in the governorate of Rural Damascus / Adra /.
- Industrial city in the governorate of Homs / Hasya /.
- Industrial city in the governorate of Aleppo / Sheikh Najjar /.
- Industrial city in the governorate of Deir Ezzour.