SWAS - Riyadh
The Council of Ministers agreed at its session on Monday, 27/5/1434 AH, chaired by His Royal Highness Prince Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Crown Prince, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defense, to grant the Ministry of Commerce the authority to control municipal violations and impose fines, except for opening shops without a license, as well as violations of not renewing the shop license.
Dr. Abdulaziz bin Muhyiddin Khoja reported that the Council then continued to discuss its agenda and issued the following decisions:
Fifth: ”After reviewing what was submitted by the Minister of Commerce and Industry regarding giving the Ministry powers to be exercised by the Municipalities in issuing immediate penalties within the (Regulation of Fines and Penalties for Municipal Violations) issued by Cabinet Resolution No. 218 dated 6/8/1422H, the Cabinet approved a number of measures, including the following:
First: Without prejudice to the exercise by the Ministry of Municipal and Rural Affairs of its powers stipulated in the regulation of fines and penalties for municipal violations and the schedule of fines and penalties attached thereto, the Ministry of Commerce and Industry shall do the following:
1. Seize violations related to its competencies listed in Group (I) of the table attached to this regulation, and impose the fines listed therein, within industrial cities and factories.
2) Seizing violations related to its competencies listed in Group (III) of the table attached to this regulation, and imposing the fines listed therein, except for the violation of opening a shop without a license, and the violation of not renewing the shop license.
Second: 1) The seizure of violations and imposition of fines referred to in item (I) shall be in accordance with a report drawn up by the competent Ministry of Commerce and Industry official, and the prescribed fines shall be collected in accordance with the procedures followed in the collection of public funds.
2) The imposition of any of the relevant penalties listed in the table referred to in item (I) may be appealed to the Minister of Commerce and Industry or his delegate within sixty days from the date of informing the person against whom the penalty was issued, and the Minister's decision may be appealed to the Board of Grievances within sixty days from the date of informing him of the decision.

3. The Minister of Commerce and Industry shall issue the necessary executive decisions and instructions and how to apply them, without prejudice to the provisions of the preceding paragraphs as stipulated in the commercial and other relevant regulations.
In addition to the above, the Cabinet discussed a number of general topics on its agenda, including two annual reports of the King Abdulaziz Department for the previous two fiscal years, and took note of their contents.