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he most important legal news in local newspapers
We in Ben Arafa Law Group Consulting & Legal Legitimacy L.L.C likes to provide you of the most important legal news in the local newspapers for this week, which related to your business and commercial, labor and procedural activities, and accordingly we provide you with the most important news as follows:

Awqaf Public Authority approves the bylaw for Waqf investment products for reinforcing Awqaf sector contribution in the economic development

Awqaf public authority approves the bylaw for Waqf investment products that aims at regulating Waqf rules at investment pockets, investment funds and investment instruments which are supervised by the capital market authority, for reinforcing Awqaf sector contribution in the economic development and supporting the targets of the KSA vision 2030.

The bylaw includes a comprehensive organizational framework for Awqaf investment products, as it requires the authorized authorities to document Waqf upon the completion of the opening and issuing Waqf document in the allocated periods, then registering Waqf at the public Awqaf Authority to have the registration certificate. Also it states establishing accounts and independent investment pockets for Awqaf, and transferring Awqaf instruments to it according to the approved procedures at the concerned authorities.

For Waqf pockets and investment funds, the bylaw allows establishing Waqf investment pockets without the requirement of a prior approval from the authority, in a condition of registering the Waqf and completing the subsequent regulatory procedures. It also allows transferring the present investment funds to Waqf investment funds, and allows merging Waqf funds upon the approval of the authority and verifying the interests of the beneficiaries in addition to the Waqf continuity.

Also, the bylaw defines the regulations for Wqaf investment instruments, including the nature of assets or financed projects, the mechanism for establishing the Waqf whether from the contribution revenue at issuance or from the assets resulted from assets termination in addition to the regulation of assets holders and the related revenue.

For governance and control, the bylaw obliges Awqaf directors to follow up undertaking with the conditions of Waqf holders, and file regular reports to the authority, including the achieved and distributed revenues and non-distributed revenues and their justifications, in addition to operational costs, and the programs and projects which are financed from the Waqf revenues, also the extent of undertaking with the conditions of Waqf. It also requires reporting any material changes at the Waqf investment product, including the amendment of Waqf addendum or management agreements, or changing Waqf expenses, the termination or the merging of the product, or appointing a new director.

The bylaw asserts that the position of the Waqf investment product is the instrument or its value, that requires the inclusion of Waqf conditions and rules at Waqf addendum that represent an integral part of the Waqf investment product, and includes the details of Waqf assets, the form of Waqf establishment, its expenses, the method of revenue distribution, the authorities of the director and his responsibilities, assets direction at the product completion, in addition to any special conditions established by the Waqf holder.

The bylaw regulates the procedures for approving offering Waqf investment products and allocating the requirements and the required documents at the approval applications, the mechanisms for studying applications and resolving them, the stages of offering, documentation and registration.

Also, the bylaw establishes rules for Waqf investment pockets, Waqf investment funds, Waqf investment instruments, including the organizational requirements for each category, the method of management, investment, supervision and compliance, in addition to treating insolvency or violation cases which may affect the performance of Waqf holder conditions or Waqf directions. The bylaw includes transformation conditions that require agreement of Waqf investment products in not more than (12) months from the date of enforcement. It also states the termination of the bylaw for establishing Waqf investment pockets and the instructions for approving investment funds establishment, to be replaced by the new bylaw.

The bylaw is approved by a decree from the board of Awqaf public authority number (47-1-21-T) dated to 26-11-1447H, while it shall be published at the official paper and is enforceable upon the passing of (90) days from the date of publishing.

Legal information:

Contractor’s delayed handing over

In a case of the contractor delayed handing over of the project than the agreed date without a justification, the employer may claim the delayed damages, and may claim the contract termination in a case of the material delay or in a case of exceeding the term according to the project conditions.

There should be a contract that defines the date of handing over clearly, and it is better to be documented, while considering any sanction conditions or agreed articles for compensation, in a case that the delay isn’t resulted out of the contractor control of from force majeure. Compliance with the dates of handing over is one of the most important contract undertakings at contracting, while its violation results in legal consequences that may include compensation or contract termination according to the case.

Legal information: Sanction Categories according to Islamic law

According to the Islamic law, sanctions are categorized into the following:

• Islamic sanctions:

They represent the sanctions which are allocated for defined crimes according to the Islamic law, such as adultery, robbery, insulation, alcohol drinking, chameleon and apostasy, where their extent isn’t open for thought.

• Retribution and blood money:

They represent the sanctions for murder crimes, where retribution aims at achieving justice and fairness, while blood money is legalized in the cases allocated by the Islamic law.

▪ Reinforcement:

It is not a sanction that is estimated according to the Islamic law, but it is estimated by the guardian or the judge according to the extent of the action and its conditions, to achieve the public interests and prevent crimes.

According to the Islamic law, sanctions represent a means for protecting the society, preserving rights, and achieving security and justice.

The most important legal news in local newspapers
We in Ben Arafa Law Group Consulting & Legal Legitimacy L.L.C likes to provide you of the most important legal news in the local newspapers for this week, which related to your business and commercial, labor and procedural activities, and accordingly we provide you with the most important news as follows:

Terminating the sixth and the seventh articles of the public money management jobs

The cabinet approves the termination of the sixth and the seventh articles of the public money management jobs according to the governmental financial system development and reinforcing the transformation to the electronic payment methods.

Legal consequences:

1- Updating the organizational framework that regulates the jobs which are related directly to the public money.

2- Reinforcing the transformation to the electronic payment methods and decreasing cash treatments.

3- Upgrading financial control competence and improving public money management procedures.

Approving the amendments of the unified agreement for VAT of the GCC

Approving the amendment of the unified agreement for VAT of the GCC, for developing the Gulf tax system and reinforcing the competence of applying the tax regulations in the member states

Legal consequences:

1- Reinforcing tax legislations harmony in the GCC.

2- Upgrading the application of VAT in overseas treatments.

3- Supporting investment environment and improving transparency of tax undertakings of establishments.

Amending the organizational structure of water manufacturers

The cabinet approves the organizational structure amendment for water manufacturers, that contributes in development governance and upgrading management and operation of water projects.

Legal consequences:

1- Reinforcing governance and control of water manufacturer works.

2- Upgrading management and operation of water projects.

3- Supporting the sector sustainability and improving the quality of provided services.

Approving the executive bylaw for the protection of reporters, witnesses, experts and victims 

The executive bylaw for the protection of reports, witnesses, experts and victims is approved for regulating the procedures of requesting protection and the mechanisms of providing it in addition to the concerned authorities for its enforcement.

Legal consequences:

1- Providing a clear operational framework for protecting reporters, witnesses, experts and victims.

2- Reinforcing confidence in reporting crimes and violations without fearing damages or revenge.

3- supporting criminal justice and empowering the concerned authorities from attaining the required evidence and witnesses.

Approving the rules and the procedures of insurance disputes and violations settlement  

The cabinet approves the rules and the procedures for the insurance disputes and violations settlement committees for regulating the litigation and the settlement procedures at insurance disputes and unifying the mechanisms for the concerned committees work.

Legal consequences:

1- Regulating the procedures for filing claims and objections related to insurance disputes.

2- Reinforcing the speed and the competence of insurance disputes settlement.

3- Upgrading the level of transparency and regulatory confidence of the disputes parties.

Regulating the procedures for preventing exporting or restricting products

The cabinet issues a decree for preventing exporting or restricting products through a committee for regulating the governance of preventing or restricting export, that achieves coordination between the concerned governmental authorities and upgrades exporting decision making procedures.

Legal consequences:

1- Unifying procedures and regulations related to the decrees for preventing or restricting exporting.

2- Reinforcing coordination between the concerned governmental authorities at studying prevention or restriction applications.

3- Upgrading the level of governance and transparency of the decrees which affect commercial activities and supply chains.

Amending articles of the executive bylaw for the governmental auctions and procurements

Minister of finance approves amending a number of articles of the executive regulations of governmental auctions and procurements for developing the procedures for governmental auctions and contracts and upgrading spending and transparency level.

Legal consequences:

1- Developing procedures of auctions and awarding in addition to governmental contracts management.

2- Reinforcing principles of transparency, justice and competition at bidders.

3- Upgrading governmental spending and improving quality of governmental contracting and procurements.

The most important legal news in local newspapers
We in Ben Arafa Law Group Consulting & Legal Legitimacy L.L.C likes to provide you of the most important legal news in the local newspapers for this week, which related to your business and commercial, labor and procedural activities, and accordingly we provide you with the most important news as follows:

Enforcement of financial control law and its executive bylaw

Ministry of finance commences the enforcement of financial control law, which replaces financial representatives law. It aims at developing the system of public money control, through adopting modern control mechanisms that include direct, self and digital control.

Legal consequences:

Extending the scope of control on governmental and related authorities.

Reinforcing accountability at public money management and limiting fiscal violations.

Developing modern control tools that raise levels of compliance and support fiscal transparency.

Approving the amendment of anti money laundry law

The amendment of anti money laundry law is approved to develop the legislative framework according to the international standards, and to reinforce controlling financial flow and facing financial crimes.

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Legal consequences:

Establishing more strict requirements for compliance and disclosure for financial and non-financial establishments.

Reinforcing the required care for and management of money laundering and financing terrorism risks.

Empowering the concerned authorities to follow money and to overcome financial crimes effectively that reinforces the credibility of investment environment.

Approving the new enforcement law

The new enforcement law is approved for developing justice system, that contributes in improving enforcement procedures and the competence of achieving justice through regulation of procedures and developing tools of disclosure, in addition to following up money and dependence on electronic pathways.

Legal consequences:

Facilitating procedures of enforcement and limiting dues payment extending.

Reinforcing judiciary securities for both creditors and debtors, and establishing the principle of quick justice.

Upgrading the effectiveness of dealing with executive deeds through approved websites.

Stock market authority approves the regulations for firing the board of directors and dividends at enlisted companies

Stock market authority approves the amended executive bylaw for companies law related to the enlisted companies to develop the regulations for firing the board of directors and regulating the mechanisms of allocating and dividing profits that reinforces governance of companies and rights of shareholders.

Legal consequences:

Empowering public assemblies to fire board of directors according to allocated regulations that reinforce management control.

Raising the level of transparency and disclosure in addition to the protection of investors in enlisted companies.

Organizing the mechanism of distributing dividends with more flexibility that achieves balance between the interests of the company and shareholders.

The most important legal news in local newspapers
We in Ben Arafa Law Group Consulting & Legal Legitimacy L.L.C likes to provide you of the most important legal news in the local newspapers for this week, which related to your business and commercial, labor and procedural activities, and accordingly we provide you with the most important news as follows:

Commercial Activity and Business Environment Development

Recent indicators issued from the Saudi ministry of commerce indicate to the continuous development of commercial sector, that is through the increased number of new commercial registers recently, that reflects the economic activity extending and the improvement of investment environment in the KSA.

That development is a result of the development of commercial regulations and facilitating procedures of founding and registration, which raises the level of compliance to applicable commercial laws.

Legal consequences:

Reinforcing commercial regulation effectiveness in the market.

Raising the level of compliance to commercial laws.

Supporting investment environment stability.

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Digital Transformation in Commercial Services

Saudi ministry of commerce continues developing its digital system which is related to the services of commercial register and articles of association, according to the governmental digital transformation that aims at improving the competence of services and relieving traditional procedures. That development aims at facilitating commercial treatments, and reinforcing dependence on electronic solutions of documentation and the regulatory actions.

Legal consequences:

Facilitating regulatory actions and decreasing operational intervals.

Raising competence of electronicdocumentation and verification.

Reinforcing authentication of commercial treatments.

Technical Development in the Legal Field

Recently, there is an extension of employing modern techniques, including artificial intelligence, for supporting legal research and studies, and analyzing complex regulatory issues, that reinforces the competence of legal analysis tools. That direction reflects a transformation for the inclusion of technology in the legal field, that contributes in developing methods of inference and improving quality of legal outcomes.

Legal consequences:

Supporting digital transformation in the legal field.

Developing tools of legal analysis and inference.

Raising competence of legal research.

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Reinforcement of Data Protection and Organizational Compliance

The regulatory authorities in the KSA, including the Saudi Information Authority continue their efforts for reinforcing compliance to (SDAIA) and artificial intelligence for personal data. That is through raising the levels of control and application on varied sectors, especially digital and commercial ones. That is made to reinforce protecting privacy and organizing data treatment, to achieve balance between technical development and regulatory compliance.

Legal consequences:

Reinforcing personal data protection.

Raising levels of regulatory compliance of establishments.

Supporting organizational framework of digital environment.

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Reinforcing Compliance in the Companies Law and Governance of Commercial Identities

The regulatory authorities in the KSA, including Saudi Ministry of Commerce and Saudi Capital Market Authority, continue their efforts for reinforcing compliance to companies’ law and developing governance environment at commercial identities that is through establishing strict requirements for financial and administrative disclosure raising the level of transparency in companies. That direction comes in the framework of developing legislative environment for the commercial sector, that ensures protection of shareholder and businessmen rights, and raises market credibility, especially with the extension of investment activities and the emergence of new instruments. Also, that development shall raise regulatory compliance, and shall relieve risks which are related to non-compliance to related laws and regulations.

Legal consequences:

Reinforcing compliance to companies’ law and governance.

Raising the level of transparency and financial disclosure.

Protecting the rights of shareholders and investors.

Relieving the regulatory risks which the commercial identities are exposed.

The most important legal news in local newspapers
We in Ben Arafa Law Group Consulting & Legal Legitimacy L.L.C likes to provide you of the most important legal news in the local newspapers for this week, which related to your business and commercial, labor and procedural activities, and accordingly we provide you with the most important news as follows:

Organizational Reformations at the Retirement and Insurance Laws that Includes Termination of Previous Committees and Approving New Mechanisms for Calculating Actuarial Effect  

The cabinet approves extended organizational amendments to the retirement and social insurance laws for supporting the path of transformation, allocation and reinforcing the competence of the related systems.

The amendments include the issuance of a royal bylaw for amending the mutual interest’s system between the retirement and insurance systems, where the related authorities should provide the social insurance public authority with all information of employees and workers who are covered by the transformation processes, that ensure accuracy of procedures and safety of insurance interest’s transfer.

The amendments oblige the concerned authorities to notify the organization about the transformation decrees not later than 30 days from the date of issuance that reinforces governance and compliance. For financial treatments, the actuarial effect is approved to be considered the outcome on the pension funds as a natural result of different systems, while asserting compensating those funds through interactive finance method in a case of shortage of insolvency.

The decrees also include the termination of the previous committees which are concerned with allocating the costs of transformation processes, while approving a new mechanism for calculating the net actuarial profits and losses of the pension funds that reinforces transparency and competence of financial assessment. Those amendments come through the efforts for organizational framework of retirement and insurance systems according to the targets of economic transformation and establishing financial sustainability.

• Reinforcement of Commercial Arbitration and Development of an Environment for Dispute Settlement in the KSA
• Riyadh International Week for Disputes Settlement 2026 Housed International Legal Events with the participation of international experts.
• They celebrated the 60^th anniversary of UNCITRAL

The event was concerned with the following:

• Unifying the international commercial laws.
• Developing commercial arbitration.
• Reinforcing investment environment in the KSA

Influence on companies:

• Much support for using arbitration instead of traditional justice.
• Facilitating the settlement of international commercial disputes.
• Raising the credibility of legal environment for investors.

• Capital Market Authority Approves a New Organizational Framework for Enlisting Special Purpose Acquisition Companies (SPACs) in the Parallel Market “Nomue”

Saudi Capital Market announces approving a new organizational framework that enables enlisting special purpose acquisition companies (SPACs) at the parallel market “Nomue” through amending the market rules, and the rules for offering securities and organizations of enlisted companies, in addition to the terminology that regulates capital market, with the aim of varying investment tools which are available to investors and reinforcing market flow.

The approved amendments contribute in supporting non-traditional companies joining development market, that opens new opportunities for finance and increasing investment options for national and international investors, in addition to reinforcing the competitiveness of the Saudi market at both national and international levels.

News effect on companies and capital market

• Extending non-traditional finance tools through SPACs mechanisms.
• Providing startup and special companies with opportunities for accessing market without the need to structure the priority of general, traditional subscription.
• Reinforcing flow and activation of parallel market transactions.

The most important legal news in local newspapers
We in Ben Arafa Law Group Consulting & Legal Legitimacy L.L.C likes to provide you of the most important legal news in the local newspapers for this week, which related to your business and commercial, labor and procedural activities, and accordingly we provide you with the most important news as follows:

Warning each identity that fails to disclose the actual beneficiary data  

Minister of commerce decree number (186) dated to 24-08-1447H

Upon the authorities granted to the minister of commerce, and according to paragraph (Q) of article (two hundred sixty two), and paragraph (two hundred sixty seven) of the companies law issued by the royal bylaw number (132-M) dated to 1-12-1443H, and article (twelve) of the actual beneficiary rules issued by the ministerial decree number (99) dated to 5-6-1447H, and referring to the public interests.

The following is decreed:

First: Each identity fails to disclose the actual beneficiary data, or fails to present the annual confirmation of that data for the first time, while is granted thirty days period starting from the next day to the warning for correcting the situation.

Second: In a case of not correcting the situation in the stated period at the first paragraph, a direct sanction shall be imposed on each company which doesn’t comply with the disclosure or fails to present the annual confirmation of the actual beneficiary data in the defined period according to the actual beneficiary rules. The fine shall be as follows:

Third: in a case of repeating the violation of not disclosing the actual beneficiary data in the defined period for the next year to the previous violation decree, the fine shall be doubled for the previous violation, while the total fine shall not exceed (500,000) Sr..

Fourth: notification of the direct sanction decree shall be according to the mechanisms defined at article number (ninety four) of the executive rules of the companies’ law.

Fifth: This decree is published at the official gazette and is applicable from the date of its publication.

Decree of the capital market number (1-135-2025) dated to 03-06-1447H

The capital market authority board decrees the following upon the capital market law, issued by the royal bylaw number (30-M) dated to 2-6-1424H:

• Amending the regulations for offering securities and continuous liabilities, by the board decree number (3-123-2017) dated to 9-4-1439H, corresponding to 27-12-2017, amended by the board decree number (1-94-2025) dated to 9-3-1447H, corresponding to 1-9-2025, as follows:

• Amending paragraph (d) and paragraph (h) of article number seventy four of the rules, by inserting the statement “qualified investors in parallel market” instead of the statement “qualified investors”.

• Amending paragraph (f) of article seventy nine and paragraph “d) of article eighty three of the rules, by inserting the phrase “qualified investor in parallel market instead of “qualified investor”

• Amending paragraphs (a), (b), (c) or (d) of article number eighty five of the rules, by inserting the phrase “qualified investors in parallel market” instead of “qualified investors”, and it is applicable from the date of publishing.

• Amending the definition of “qualified investor” that is stated in the list of idioms used in the capital market authority regulations, issued by the board decree number (4-1-2004) dated to 20-8-1425 H, corresponding to 4-10-2004, amended by the board decree number (1-94-2025) dated to 9-3-1447H corresponding to 1-9-2025, as follows: “qualified investor in parallel market: means at the eighth section of the securities offer rules and the continuous liabilities, and in articles number forty eight, and forty nine of the real estate investment funds, each of the following:

• Capital market institutions which act for their own account.

• Clients of the capital market, who are licensed to practice business, in a condition of being appointed by conditions which enable them to take the decrees for accepting shared offering and investment in parallel market instead of the client without having a prior consent.

• The KSA government, any governmental authority or any international authority which is recognized by the authority, the market or any other fiscal market which are recognized by the authority or the deposit center.

• The companies which are owned by the government, whether directly, or through a pocket managed by the capital market which are licensed to practice management.

• Companies and funds which are established in the GCC.

• Investment funds.

• Any other legal identities may open investment account in the KSA and an account at the center.

• Natural identities may open investment account in the KSA and an account at the Deposit center.

They should meet the following standards:

• He should make bargains at the capital market which value shouldn’t be less than twenty million Saudi riyals in the last twelve months.

• The net value of his assets shouldn’t be less than five million Saudi riyals.

• He should have worked for at least three years in the fiscal sector.

• He should have the general certificate for dealing with securities and it should be approved from the authority.

• He should have a professional certificate in the field of securities and it should be recognized by an international authorities.

• He should have worked as a member in the board of directors or a member of the specialized committees in the companies which are listed in the parallel market.

• Any other persons who are defined by the authority.

This decree is applicable from the date of its publishing.

• Amending paragraph (m) of article forty eight and paragraph (n) of article forty nine of the investment funds regulations, issued by the board decree number (1-2019-2006) dated to 3-12-1427H, corresponding to 24-12-2006, amended by the board decree number (1-2029-2025) dated to 23-11-1446H corresponding to 21-5-2025, through inserting “categories of qualified investors in the parallel market” instead of “categories of qualified investors”. They are applicable from the date of publishing.

• Amending paragraph (B) of article forty six of the real estate investment funds issued by the board decree number (1-193-2006) dated to 19-6-1427H, corresponding to 15-7-2006, amended by the board decree number (1-4-2025) dated to 23-11-1446H, corresponding to 21-5-2025, by inserting “categories of qualified investors in the parallel market” instead of “categories of qualified investors”. It is applicable from the date of its publishing.

• Publishing the content of paragraphs (a), (b), (c) and (d) of this decree at the websites of the authority and Tadawul Saudi Company.

• Decree number (662) dated to 07-09-1447H

The cabinet:

Upon revising the treatment issues from the royal court in number 43696 dated to 16-6-1446H, including the telegram of the minister of commerce, the chairman of the national center for competition and the chairman of the Saudi center for economic business, in number 19521 dated to 140601446H about merging the national center for competition and the Saudi center for economic business, in one center under the title of “the Saudi center for competition and business”

Upon revising the draft for regulating the Saudi center for competition and business,

Upon revising the organization of the national center for competition, issued by the cabinet decree number (212) dated to 25-4-1440H,

Upon revising the organization of the Saudi center for economic business, issued by cabinet decree number (456) dated to 11-8-1449H,

Upon revising the rules and the regulations for the method of treating employees and workers in the targeted sector through transfer or allocation, issued by the cabinet decree number (616) dated to 20-10-1442H,

Upon revising the cabinet decree number (611) dated to 22-8-1447H,

Upon revising the statements number (317) dated to 26-1-1447H, (1234) dated to 2-4-1447H, (2318) dated to 24-6-1447H, and (3061) dated to 29-8-1447H, which are issued by the experts’ authority at the cabinet,

Upon revising the recommendation of the economics and development affairs council number (47-6-6) dated to 29-5-1447H,

Upon revising the recommendation of the public committee of the cabinet number (9562) dated to (47-6-6),

Decrees:

First: Merging the national center for competition and the Saudi center for economic business, in one center in the name of “the Saudi Center for Competition and Business”, while that merge shall not result in any addition financial effect on the general balance of the state, or requesting an increase on the approved thresholds.

Second: Agreeing on organizing the Saudi center for competition and business, in the attached form.

Third: in exception from paragraph (2) of article (ten) of the stated organization in “Second” of this decree, the first fiscal year for the Saudi Center for competition and business commences from the date of that organization applicability and completes with the completion of the next fiscal year of the state.

Fourth: Saudi center for competition and business replaces the national center for completion and the Saudi center for economic business, in all their rights and undertakings.

Fifth: the board of the Saudi center for competition and business supervises the process of merging which is stated in (First) article of this decree, and it may establish the required procedures.

Sixth: in exception of the (first) article of this decree, and the organization stated in (the second) article of this decree, the national center for completion and the Saudi center for economic business continue practicing their duties until the completion of the merge, according to what is decided by the Saudi center for competition and business.

Seventh: in exception from paragraph (1) of article (four) of the stated organization in (the second) article of this decree, Dr. Maged Bin Abdullah Alqasaby shall be the chairman of the Saudi center for competition and business until appointing a chairman according to the this paragraph.

Eighth: Continuity of applying the fiscal and administrative regulations of both the national center for competition and the Saudi center for economic business on their workers, until approving the center regulations by the board of the Saudi center of competition and business, and handling the position of those workers according to the regulations for treating employees and workers in the targeted sectors for transfer and allocation issued by the cabinet decree number (616) dated to 20-10-1442H.

Ninth: using the phrase (the Saudi center for competition and business) instead of (the national center for competition) and instead of (the Saudi center for economic business), wherever they come in the regulations, orders, bylaws, decrees, rules, etc.

Tenth: the board of the Saudi competition center and business shall have the authorities stated in paragraph (5) of the (fifth) article of the above stated organization- mentioned in (the second) article of this decree- in an agreement with the ministry of finance, and the non-petroleum revenues development center, until the enforceability of the regulations related to the national framework for the charges and the fiscal meetings issued by the cabinet decree number (611) dated to 22-8-1447H

Eleventh: 1- the Saudi center for completion and business shall be the legislative and supervising reference for the unified service, while the governmental authorities which intend to establish or operate centers for the business sector services, shall coordinate with the center to take the required approvals, notwithstanding the related regulative texts.

2- providing any service at the unified service centers- stated in paragraph (9) of article (three) of the stated organization in (second) article of this decree- without providing the service itself at the concerned authority or its branches.

Twelfth: providing services of the Saudi center of competition and business shall be through the concerned related authorities, according to paragraph (9) of article (three) of the stated organization in the second article of this decree, upon the rules approved by the center board in an agreement with the ministry of finance and the ministry of human resources and social development, while those rules should include what is related to regulating the relationship of the related parties of the concerned authorities to the center and what is related to granting them any advantages.

Thirteenth: the Saudi center of competition and business revises the regulations and the organizations, the orders and the royal bylaws and decrees according to the (first) article of this decree, and it a case it is pointed out that they need any amendment at their rules- which are related directly or indirectly to its work- it shall report what it considers suitable in that regard.

The most important legal news in local newspapers
We in Ben Arafa Law Group Consulting & Legal Legitimacy L.L.C likes to provide you of the most important legal news in the local newspapers for this week, which related to your business and commercial, labor and procedural activities, and accordingly we provide you with the most important news as follows:

Releasing male and female prisoners who are convicted in public property crimes 

Through enforcing the directions of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Salman Bin Abdul Aziz Al Saud- Supported by Allah- Ministry of Interior applies the procedures of releasing male and female prisoners who are convicted in public property crimes, according to the approved legal regulations and conditions.

Legal Consequences

Abatement of the claim or the remaining sanction term in the crimes where the release is applied, which are related to the public property crimes according to the royal decree.

Not extending the release effect to personal property, unless their holder discharges them or in a case of reconciliation according to the regulations.

The release is applied to the cases that meet the defined conditions by the concerned authority, while it is governed by the related regulations and executive rules.

Approving the Regulations for Prince Mohamed Ben Salman Center for Arabic Handwriting and National Policy for Arabic Language

The regulations for Prince Mohamed Ben Salman Center for Arabic Handwriting are approved according to the  National Policy for Arabic Language that aims at reinforcing Arabic Language presence in education, media, business and international relations, and unifying related regulatory reference.

Legal Consequences

Establishing regulatory compliance by using Arabic language in the public authorities work and the related official documents and correspondence.

Reinforcing Arabic text suppressing in multi-language contracts and agreements.

Extending language compliance as a regulatory undertaking in related sectors, that is reflected on contracting formation and the internal bylaws for establishments that deal with the public sector.

Launching the Service of Leasing Agricultural Equipment through “Naama” Website

Ministry of Environment, Water and Agriculture launches an electronic service for licensing the activity of leasing agricultural equipment through “Naama” website, with the aim of regulating the activity and raising the level of compliance with the approved technical conditions.

Legal Consequences

Making a condition of having an in-advance license for practicing the activity, and preventing its practice without having a regulatory permit.

Establishments are governed by regulatory control and the approved technical conditions, while liability and sanctions shall be regulated in a case of violation.

Considering the licenses and the electronic procedures issued through the website as official documents that produce their regulatory effects.

Approving Manual Crafts and Industries Law

A law is issued for regulating manual crafts and industries activity, and supervising them by the Heritage Authority, while practitioners shall have a grace time for one year for correcting their positions.

Legal Consequences

Activity shall be governed by a legal framework that defines the regulations for practice, registration and sorting.

Present craftsmen are obliged to correct their positions through the defined term, otherwise continuation in the activity shall be considered a legal violation.

Regulating the quality standards and the national register of craftsmen, and approving sale and exporting stores, to reinforce controlling the sector and its commercial and legal practices.

The most important legal news in local newspapers
We in Ben Arafa Law Group Consulting & Legal Legitimacy L.L.C likes to provide you of the most important legal news in the local newspapers for this week, which related to your business and commercial, labor and procedural activities, and accordingly we provide you with the most important news as follows:

Registration of more than 21, 000 violations to the residence and labor laws in a week

Launching New Services at “absher” Website for Facilitating Procedures

Saudi Ministry of /interior announces adding four new electronic services at “absher” website that include: updating photo of residents, terminating commercial register of a husband/ follower, separating a follower, and the travel service through Salwa gate. The aim of those services is to facilitate the procedures for the beneficiaries and decreasing the need of a personal revision, that saves time and reinforces the accuracy of official treatments performance.

Legal consequences

It provides an authenticated official means for performing legal treatments without the need of repeated personal revisions.

It decreases mistakes and provides electronic authentication which is legally enforceable.

It reinforces digital transformation in the KSA and ensures quick procedures and reliving probable legal disputes.

It encourages dependence on official digital means in legal and administrative treatments.

Geographical indicators protection for national products

The KSA approves geographical indicators protection system with the aim of protecting the products related to defined locations of imitation or misleading use, such as national dates and oils. The system includes strict sanctions up to imprisonment for a month to three years, and fines up to a million riyals. It aims at protecting commercial and intellectual property rights for national products. The system shall be enforceable officially 180 days after its publication in the official gazette. It includes all authorities and companies which operate in the related fields to those products.

Legal consequences

Protecting national products from imitation of unauthorized use

Imposing fiscal and criminal sanctions on the violators to relieve infringement

It obliges companies and investors to update marketing strategies and compliance to the new regulations.

It encourages the development of national trademarks and protecting intellectual property rights.

Approving New Fiscal Control Law in the KSA

The KSA approves the new fiscal control law and it was published in the official gazette in December, 2025. It is expected to be enforced from the 11^th of April, 2026. The law established a new framework of controlling public money and covers public and private institutions and the public fiscal authorities, with advanced mechanisms that depend on analyzing risks and assessment of performance.

Legal consequences

It imposes a developed system of fiscal control according to the international standards.

It obliges the authorities that are covered by the control to update the systems of fiscal reporting and compliance with the transparency standards.

It reinforces accountability and lessens fiscal violations in both public and private sectors.

It grants control authorities strong powers for collecting information and enforcing sanctions on violators.

Legal Information

According to the Saudi law, documenting contracts and agreements is made electronically through official websites, such as “Qiwa”, or the real estate registers, in a condition of their legal enforceability against others. Each non-documented contract or agreement shall not be enforceable at justice in a case of dispute, even if both parties agree in writing on it.

The most important legal news in local newspapers
We in Ben Arafa Law Group Consulting & Legal Legitimacy L.L.C likes to provide you of the most important legal news in the local newspapers for this week, which related to your business and commercial, labor and procedural activities, and accordingly we provide you with the most important news as follows:

Tightening and Digitalizing Residence laws

New residence and labor law is enforceable from the early 2026, upon approving the smart digital system that aims at facilitating procedures and raising competence in addition to decreasing violations.

The law depends on the electronic completion of procedures including applying for and renewing residences, in addition to exchanging information between the ministry of human resources and passports department that facilitates following up residence and labor violations at the real time.

Sanctions and violations:

Imprisonment, fine, and deportation for the ones who violate residence and labor regulations.

Sanctions on the establishments that employ violating staff, including fines or prohibiting hiring.

Forming a committee to follow up violations and enforcing the sanctions according to the law.

The present amendment is made for controlling job market, protecting the rights of employees and reinforcing sustainable compliance, according to the Saudi Vision 2030 for improving work environment.

Real estate authority announces the enforcement of non-Saudis property law

The KSA enforces the law for non-Saudis property ownership from the beginning of 2026 upon approving the legislative updates of the real estate system that aims at developing the sector and attracting foreign investments,

That law permits non-Saudis to own properties and to acquire material rights inside the geographical zone defined by the real estate public authority, that ensures regulating the market and preserving its balance. That law makes a condition that the non-Saudi ownership or material right shall not be enforceable unless it is registered at the real estate register according to the approved procedures and providing the required information. For the financial element, the law permits imposing charges which shall not exceed 5% of the real estate transactions value when they are made by non-Saudis, notwithstanding any other applicable taxes or charges.

The law imposes the following sanctions in a case of violating its rules:

Warning

A fine up to 5% of the material right value which is the violation subject, to the maximum of 10 million riyals.

Also, a committee or more shall be formed to include legal professionals to deliberate the violations and impose the sanctions according to the extent and the consequences of the violation.

The law is an extension of the binding real estate legislations that aim at increasing the property offer and attracting investors and development companies to the Saudi market,

A Draft for Amending the Bankruptcy Law According to the Best International Practices

Bankruptcy committee suggests an amendment to the bankruptcy law that allows the debtor, especially the small debtors to schedule the debts according to mechanisms that agree with the best international practices, with the aim of achieving balance between the interests of debtors and creditors.

The amendment includes a prior agreement between the debtor and the creditor on the plan for rescheduling debts before commencing any of the bankruptcy procedures, where the plan includes clear financial information, and confirms that the revenue for the rejecting creditors isn’t less than the expected revenue in a case of dissolution.

The amendment obliges the debtor to have an approved bankruptcy trustee for preparing a report that assesses the plan fairness and achieving the interests of most creditors, then applying to the court with an application for authenticating the plan upon notifying the creditors.

The amendment allows the creditors to appeal in front of the court in a case of damages or violations to the standards of justice. In a case of the court authentication of the plan, it shall reject the registration of any application after the commencement of the bankruptcy procedures.

In a case of rejecting the authentication, any stakeholder shall apply for commencing the bankruptcy procedures according to the law.

Approving the amendment of the author rights

The Saudi cabinet approves amending author rights law in 2026, as follows:

Extending the copyrighted works:

They include all art, scientific, artistic, digital, audio or video works and software.

Enlisted online digital and creative works at the legal coverage.

Reinforcing moral rights of the author:

The right of attributing the work to its holder and stating its name or a nickname.

Preventing amendment, dissertation or deletion of the work without the author consent.

The right of work withdrawal or amendment upon the author discretion.

Those rights become permanent and irrevocable.

Reinforcing financial rights:

Exclusive right of using the work commercially (sale, license, distribution, performance, distribution)

Regulating financial rights transfer through written contracts that define the term and the field.

The license includes translation, commercial quotation and digital issuance.

Regulating related rights:

Protecting rights of artists and performers.

Protecting the producers of audio and video recordings and broadcasting rights.

Updating exceptions:

Works are permitted to use in limited non-commercial or educations uses.

Treating the challenges related to artificial intelligence and modern technologies.

Tightening sanctions on violators:

Fines up to 250,000 riyals

Confiscation of violating editions and closing the violating establishments.

Imprisonment for up to 6 months, while the sanction shall be doubled in a case of repetition.

Reinforcing legal actions and administrative settlement before litigation.

The most important legal news in local newspapers
We in Ben Arafa Law Group Consulting & Legal Legitimacy L.L.C likes to provide you of the most important legal news in the local newspapers for this week, which related to your business and commercial, labor and procedural activities, and accordingly we provide you with the most important news as follows:

Capital Market Authority approves the regulations for the enlisted companies, investment funds and special purpose establishments’ ownership of properties in the KSA

Capital market authority approves the regulations for the enlisted companies, investment funds and special purpose establishments’ ownership of properties in the KSA, including Mecca and Madinah. Those regulations shall be enforceable from the date of enforcement for non-Saudis property ownership law issued by the royal bylaw number (M/14) dated to 19-01-1447H.

The regulations for enlisted companies, investment funds and special purpose establishments’ ownership of properties in the KSA shall replace the special conditions with the exception of the companies which are enlisted in the Saudi Capital Market of (non-Saudis) according to non-Saudis ownership and investment of properties issued by the authority board decree in January, 2025.

 The approved project aims at regulating ownership of properties by the companies which are enlisted in the Saudi capital market according to the companies law, and the investment funds in addition to the licensed special purpose companies, and acquiring other material rights of the property in the KSA- including both Mecca and Madinah- that will contribute in reinforcing capital market competence, attracting investors and reinforcing its competition both nationally and internationally.

The authority points out that those regulations don’t affect the foreign investor, the enlisted companies, the investment funds and the special purpose establishments, in addition to the capital market establishments compliance with the related laws, regulations and instructions, especially the law for non-Saudis ownership of properties and its executive regulations, whether at practicing their activities or at their dissolution, for keeping organizational coherence and reinforcing clarity of regulative frameworks for properties ownership in the KSA.

Those regulations come with the issuance of the law for non-Saudis ownership of properties which is enforceable from January, 2026, as it grants the authority the right of issuing the regulations for enlisted companies, investment funds and special purpose companies ownership of properties in the KSA according to the fourth article, as an extension of the related regulations for non-Saudis ownership of properties, without creating new regulations.

It is expected that those regulations shall motivate investment, reinforce international investors’ contributions, improving foreign capital flow to the Saudi capital market, also support national economy, and real estate sector development, according to the Saudi Vision 2030 for developing financial sector.

Capital Market Authority extends the discharge from charges on issuance of debt instruments and bearing the registration and enlistment charges for defined editions until 2027 

Annexed to the capital market authority decree which is announced in July, 2020, for discharging enlisted companies from paying the charges to the authority for one year, and the debt instrument exporters to the end of 2025, the capital market authority approves extending the discharge from the charges paid to the authority, while bearing the charges of both Saudi capital market company (Tasawol) and instruments deposit center (Edaa) for the applications of debt instruments issuance, in a condition that the exporters or editions attain a present and expressed credit categorization by a licensed categorization agency according to defined regulations, until the end of 2027.

The decree aims at supporting and developing instruments and debt instruments market, encouraging exporters to join it, that contributes in reinforcing its attractiveness and extending the base of national and international exporters and investors, in addition to increasing the companies competence to have a long term finance in a competitive cost, and encouraging companies to have a credit categorization, that raises the quality of editions and improves exposure levels, in addition to reinforcing investors’ confidence.

Capital market authority defined the issuances which are included in this decree, to the debt instruments for non-governmental bodies which are enlisted for the exporter or the issuance who have a credit categorization from a licensed credit categorization agency, while that categorization should be present and expressed, as the authority shall bear the charges for only two editions per each exporter.

For the special issuance applications which are included in the decree, the authority defines them to the debt instrument issuances to non-governmental bodies which are issued for the exporter or the edition that have a credit categorization from a licensed credit agency, and which size doesn’t exceed 500 million Saudi riyals, while that categorization should be present and expressed, for only two editions per exporter.

The authority shall bear the charges for both Saudi Capital market company (Tadawol), and capital deposit center (Edaa) for total public and private issuances, to the maximum of five million riyals till 2027, while issuance applications that exceed that limit shall be considered.

Recent development in the instruments market and debt instruments, in addition to the discharge in the previous years, results in a noticeable development in instruments and debt instruments market in the KSA, as the number of those editions increased from 32 in 2021 to 118 at the end of the fourth quarter of 2025, that extends the size of instruments market and the debt instruments market issued by the companies from about 90 milliards to about 132 milliard riyals at the same period, in addition to the increase of the enlisted issues circulations ratio from 0.46% to more than .90%.

   The exporters who have the credit categorization are about 60%, that reflects the awareness of exported companies about the importance of categorization and its role in reinforcing editions attractiveness and increasing the transparency and risk assessment level, in addition to the increased preference of investors to the categorized instruments compared to non-categorized ones, as the most transparent ones according to the level of risks and credit quality.

It is worth noting that the discharged charges in a case of public issuance of the source or the edition that has a present and an expressed categorization by a licensed categorization agency is about 400 thousand Saudi riyals, while in a case of the special issuance of the source or the edition with a present and an expressed categorization by a licensed categorization agency is about 60 thousand riyals for the editions which don’t exceed 500 million riyals.

This decree completes the previous efforts which are made by the authority to encourage new exporters to the market and relieving financial burdens related to the issuance processes that contributes in reinforcing market attractiveness and motivating issuances and the increase of instruments and debt instruments marker, in addition to empowering it to perform its role as a basic channel for financing economic and developmental activities in the KSA, according to the targets of developing the financial sector in the Saudi Vision 2030.

Legal Information about Commercial instruments  

Value is not enough to consider the instrument as a commercial instrument, as the regulative standard is related to its purpose.The commercial instrument represents what is allocated for investment and circulation in the markets such as shares and assets.For the instruments which function is limited to payment, insurance or security, they are not enlisted in the concept of financial instruments.The regulative instrument according to the third article of the capital market system (commercial instruments such as checks and money receipts or order instruments, in addition to instrumental bonds, and cash transfers, the instruments which are circulated by the banks and insurance policies aren’t considered financial instruments)