Qatar's traffic department has started changing the number plates of vehicles in a process expected to take one year. All new vehicles will be have the European modeled plates while those in circulation will receive them upon renewal of their roads permits, Qatari daily Al Raya reported on Friday. The new plates will carry the white and maroon colours of the Qatari flag. The change of the plates is in line with a decision taken by Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) traffic officials to unify their specifications. According to the daily, the officials agreed to take the European plates as a model on the basis that it allows the clear reading of the numbers from a distance. Qatar's plates initially had a black background and white or silver lettering before they were changed in 1982 when the background was made white. In 1998, Arabic numbers were added to the plates. Gulf news

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