The Council of Ministers,
Having reviewed the correspondence received from the Royal Court No. 43696 dated 16/6/1446 AH, which includes a telegram from His Excellency the Minister of Commerce, Chairman of the Board of Directors of the National Competitiveness Center and Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Saudi Business Center No. 19521 dated 14/6/1446 AH, regarding the merger of the National Competitiveness Center and the Saudi Business Center into one center named "The Saudi Center for Competitiveness and Business."
Having reviewed the draft statute of the Saudi Center for Competitiveness and Business.
Having reviewed the statute of the National Competitiveness Center, issued by Council of Ministers Decision No. (212) dated 25/4/1440 AH.
Having reviewed the statute of the Saudi Business Center, issued by Council of Ministers Decision No. (456) dated 11/8/1440 AH.
Having reviewed the rules and arrangements regarding the treatment of employees and workers in the sectors targeted for transformation and privatization, issued by Council of Ministers Decision No. (616) dated 20/10/1442 AH.
Having reviewed Council of Ministers Decision No. (611) dated 22/8/1447 AH.
Having reviewed memoranda No. (317) dated 26/1/1447 AH, No. (1234) dated 2/4/1447 AH, No. (2318) dated 24/6/1447 AH, and No. (3061) dated 29/8/1447 AH, prepared by the Bureau of Experts at the Council of Ministers.
Having reviewed the recommendation of the Council of Economic and Development Affairs No. (6-6/47/T) dated 29/5/1447 AH.
Having reviewed the recommendation of the General Committee of the Council of Ministers No. (9562) dated 4/9/1447 AH.Decides the following:
First: To merge the National Competitiveness Center and the Saudi Business Center into one center named "The Saudi Center for Competitiveness and Business." This merger shall not result in any additional financial impact on the state’s general budget or a request for an increase in the approved ceilings.
Second: To approve the statute of the Saudi Center for Competitiveness and Business, in the attached form.
Third: Exceptionally from the provision of paragraph (2) of Article (10) of the statute referred to in item (Second) of this decision, the first fiscal year of the Saudi Center for Competitiveness and Business shall commence from the date of implementation of the statute and end at the end of the following fiscal year of the state.
Fourth: The Saudi Center for Competitiveness and Business shall replace the National Competitiveness Center and the Saudi Business Center in all their rights and obligations.
Fifth: The Board of Directors of the Saudi Center for Competitiveness and Business shall oversee the merger process referred to in item (First) of this decision and may establish the necessary procedures in this regard.
Sixth: Exceptionally from item (First) of this decision and the statute referred to in item (Second) of this decision, the National Competitiveness Center and the Saudi Business Center shall continue to carry out their activities until the merger process is completed, in accordance with what is decided by the Board of Directors of the Saudi Center for Competitiveness and Business.
Seventh: Exceptionally from the provision of paragraph (1) of Article (4) of the statute referred to in item (Second) of this decision, His Excellency Dr. Majid bin Abdullah Al-Qasabi shall be the Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Saudi Center for Competitiveness and Business until a chairman is appointed in accordance with the provisions of that paragraph.
Eighth: The financial and administrative regulations of both the National Competitiveness Center and the Saudi Business Center shall continue to apply to their employees until the Board of Directors of the Saudi Center for Competitiveness and Business approves the center’s regulations and addresses the status of those employees in accordance with the rules and arrangements regarding the treatment of employees and workers in the sectors targeted for transformation and privatization issued by Council of Ministers Decision No. (616) dated 20/10/1442 AH.
Ninth: The phrase "The Saudi Center for Competitiveness and Business" shall replace the phrases "National Competitiveness Center" and "Saudi Business Center" wherever they appear in laws, statutes, orders, royal decrees, decisions, regulations, and others.
Tenth: The exercise of the powers of the Board of Directors of the Saudi Center for Competitiveness and Business stipulated in paragraph (5) of Article (5) of the statute referred to in item (Second) of this decision shall be in agreement with: the Ministry of Finance and the Non-Oil Revenues Development Center, until the provisions related to the national framework for fees and financial charges issued by Council of Ministers Decision No. (611) dated 22/8/1447 AH come into effect.
Eleventh:- 1- The Saudi Center for Competitiveness and Business shall be the legislative and supervisory reference authority for unified physical service centers. Government agencies wishing to establish or operate physical centers to serve the business sector must coordinate with the center to obtain the necessary approval, without prejudice to the relevant statutory provisions.
2- The provision of any service at the unified physical service centers - as stipulated in paragraph (9) of Article (3) of the statute referred to in item (Second) of this decision - shall not prevent the provision of the same service at the concerned agency and its branches.
- 1- The Saudi Center for Competitiveness and Business shall be the legislative and supervisory reference authority for unified physical service centers. Government agencies wishing to establish or operate physical centers to serve the business sector must coordinate with the center to obtain the necessary approval, without prejudice to the relevant statutory provisions.
Twelfth: The Saudi Center for Competitiveness and Business shall provide services through the personnel of the concerned agencies, in accordance with paragraph (9) of Article (3) of the statute referred to in item (Second) of this decision, based on rules adopted by the Board of Directors of the center in agreement with the Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development. These rules shall include the regulation of the relationship of the personnel of the concerned agencies with the center and matters related to granting them any benefits.
Thirteenth: The Saudi Center for Competitiveness and Business shall review the laws, statutes, orders, royal decrees, and decisions in light of the provisions of item (First) of this decision. If it deems it necessary to amend any of their provisions - directly or indirectly related to its work - it shall submit what it considers appropriate in this regard.