In a move aimed at raising the level of professionalism and enhancing confidence in surveying and geospatial data services, The General Authority for Survey and Geospatial Information is moving to establish a more stringent regulatory framework for practitioners of the sector, especially with the rapid expansion in the use of geographical data in urban planning and development projects, the need to control professional practices and ensure the quality of services provided has become urgent. In this regard, the Authority has unveiled new draft rules that require practitioners to obtain official professional accreditation, in addition to establishing a unified registry that includes all accredited practitioners.
Geographic Data Regulatory Authority (GDRA).
Regulating the profession and raising the quality of services
This step aims to enhance confidence in the sector's outputs, ensure that beneficiaries receive high-quality services, in addition to supporting the continuous development of workers in the field and raising their professional competencies. The project aims to establish a unified registry of practitioners, which will come into effect after the adoption and official publication of the rules.
Mandatory professional accreditation for practitioners New rules stipulate that everyone practicing surveying or geospatial-related work must obtain an official professional accreditation from the Authority.
Strict professional obligations The new rules impose a set of professional obligations on practitioners, most notably to keep records of transactions and operations for at least five years.
The regulations also prohibit the use of any cadastral devices or equipment that may produce polluting emissions or damage the surrounding environment, in order to comply with environmental standards during field work.
Governance and control to ensure compliance The Compliance and Quality Assurance Committee
Transitional stage for existing practitioners According to the draft project, existing practitioners will be granted initial accreditation upon registration in the unified registry, as a transitional measure that allows them to continue their activity.
These rules will come into effect for all practitioners in the surveying and geospatial information sector after a specified period of time from the date of their publication and official adoption in the Official Gazette, thus constituting a new regulatory framework aimed at developing the sector and enhancing its reliability. These rules are expected to come into force mandatorily for all practitioners in the surveying and geospatial information sector after a specified period has passed.
The General Authority for Survey and Geospatial Information has launched a new draft mandatory rules aimed at qualifying and classifying practitioners in the surveying and geospatial data sector, in a move aimed at regulating work in this vital field and raising the level of services and products provided in it. Under the project, a unified register of practitioners will be established, which will start working after the adoption and official publication of the rules, to include an accurate database containing the information of all certified practitioners, their professional classifications, and their areas of specialization.
The new rules stipulate that anyone practicing surveying or geospatial information-related work must obtain an official professional accreditation from the Authority. After obtaining accreditation, practitioners will be classified according to specific levels that reflect their professional expertise and specializations.
The Authority will also publish the list of accredited practitioners on its website, allowing customers and beneficiaries to verify the reliability of service providers, enhancing transparency and reducing irregular practices in the sector.
On the other hand, the new rules impose a set of professional obligations on practitioners, most notably keeping records of transactions and operations for at least five years, as well as full commitment to maintaining the confidentiality of customer data and not disclosing it. The regulations also prohibit a number of practices that may harm beneficiaries or affect the credibility of the data, such as manipulating or misusing geospatial information, or assigning professional accreditation to third parties directly or indirectly.
To ensure the effective application of these rules, the Authority has developed an integrated governance system that includes a number of specialized committees, including the Professional Accreditation Committee, the Compliance and Quality Assurance Committee, the Professional Regulation and Conduct Committee, and the Grievance Committee.
The Compliance and Quality Assurance Committee is responsible for monitoring and field inspection tasks to verify practitioners' compliance with the approved controls, as well as following up on personal data protection mechanisms. The inspectors assigned to these tasks are required to be completely impartial and maintain the confidentiality of information obtained during inspections.
According to the draft project, existing practitioners will be granted initial accreditation upon registration in the unified registry, as a transitional measure that allows them to continue their activity, provided that they later complete all the requirements for final accreditation according to the new regulations.
