After reviewing the matters presented in the session chaired by the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, regarding the two transactions received from the Royal Court numbered 63650 dated 5/11/1442 AH, and 46834 dated 28/7/1443 AH, which included a telegram from His Excellency the Minister of Investment numbered 2614 dated 28/10/1442 AH, concerning his request to direct government agencies to translate draft laws and regulations and similar documents into English, and publish them through the unified electronic platform for public and governmental feedback, and a telegram from His Excellency the Minister of Commerce, Chairman of the Board of Directors of the National Competitiveness Center, numbered 19533 dated 22/7/1443 AH, regarding the governance of the translation of regulatory documents for government entities.

After reviewing the organizational arrangements of the Literature, Publishing, and Translation Commission, issued by Council of Ministers Decision No. (398) dated 10/6/1441 AH.

After reviewing Council of Ministers Decisions No. (134) dated 2/5/1422 AH, No. (713) dated 30/11/1438 AH, No. (476) dated 15/7/1441 AH, and No. (264) dated 3/5/1443 AH.

After reviewing the Royal Order No. (54351) dated 28/9/1441 AH.

After reviewing the server Process No. (103) dated 5/3/1443 AH, and memoranda No. (1990) dated 2/9/1443 AH, No. (2587) dated 16/11/1443 AH, No. (238) dated 19/1/1444 AH, No. (1547) dated 24/5/1444 AH, No. (2775) dated 13/9/1444 AH, No. (3571) dated 17/11/1444 AH, and No. (1309) dated 16/4/1445 AH, prepared by the Bureau of Experts at the Council of Ministers.

After reviewing the server Process prepared in the Council of Economic and Development Affairs No. (44/1293/M) dated 29/9/1444 AH.

After reviewing the recommendation of the General Committee of the Council of Ministers No. (4295) dated 24/4/1445 AH.

It is decided as follows:

Regarding the Translation of Draft Regulations:

• 1- Government agencies shall continuously provide the Official Translation Department with the draft regulations they are working on.

• 2- A committee shall be formed, chaired by the Official Translation Department and including members from the Ministry of Investment and the National Competitiveness Center, to identify the draft regulations, within (60) days of their receipt by the department, that are related to economic affairs of direct concern to foreign investors and require translation into English, and the relevant government agencies shall be notified accordingly.

• 3- The relevant government agencies - concerning the draft regulations identified based on paragraph (2) of this item - shall coordinate with the Official Translation Department to provide it with the necessary documents related to their draft regulations, including translated copies, and designate a specialized point of contact for those projects.

• 4- The Official Translation Department shall translate the draft regulations - identified based on paragraph (2) of this item - into English within (60) days of receiving the necessary documents, and provide the relevant government agency with a copy of the translation.

• 5- The relevant government agencies shall publish their translated drafts into English - as much as possible concurrently with the publication of their drafts in Arabic, based on the regulations to be observed when preparing and studying draft regulations and similar matters (updated), issued by Council of Ministers Decision No. (713) dated 30/11/1438 AH - on the unified electronic platform for public and government agency feedback on the World Wide Web (Internet), for a period of no less than (30) days.

The Literature, Publishing, and Translation Commission - in coordination with the Official Translation Department, and any relevant entities deemed appropriate by the Commission - shall conduct a study regarding the translation of draft laws and regulations and similar matters into foreign languages, especially English. This study shall include: (the appropriate mechanisms for accurate and precise translation, and the necessary proposals for building and developing national capacities within government entities in the field of legal translation, by benefiting from the experiences of international organizations in attracting competencies in the field of legal translation), and shall submit the findings within (180) days from the date of this decision.

The Official Translation Division, in coordination with the Literature, Publishing, and Translation Commission, and with the relevant entities deemed appropriate by the Division, shall prepare a guiding manual for the translation of regulatory documents. This manual will include the approved translation standards and controls, methodologies, techniques, and related terminology. This shall be completed within (90) days from the date of this decision and disseminated to the relevant entities.

Regarding the Translation of Approved Regulatory Documents

•  The Official Translation Department shall translate any regulations and bylaws issued by the Council of Ministers into English within (120) days from the date of issuance.

• 2- The Official Translation Department shall translate any regulations and bylaws issued by the Council of Ministers into English within (two years) from the date of this Decision.

• 3- The Official Translation Department shall take into consideration -when implementing the provisions of paragraphs (1) and (2) of this item- the following:

  • A- Translations issued by official international organizations.

  • B- Official translations of comparative international regulations.

  • C- Coordination with relevant government agencies to determine the correct meanings of technical terms.

• 4- Government agencies shall translate -after receiving the guiding evidence referred to in item (Third) of this Decision- any regulatory documents and their amendments issued by them into English within (60) days from the date of issuance, and the translated regulatory documents in each government agency shall be reviewed by specialists in the field of law, in the subject of the regulatory document, and in the field of English language and translation who possess the appropriate experience and qualifications, and then shall be referred to the Official Translation Department.

• 5- Government agencies shall translate -after receiving the guiding evidence referred to in item (Third) of this Decision- any previously issued regulatory documents and their amendments into English within (one year) from the date of this Decision, and the translated regulatory documents in each government agency shall be reviewed by specialists in the field of law, in the subject of the regulatory document, and in the field of English language and translation who possess the appropriate experience and qualifications, and then shall be referred to the Official Translation Department.

• 6- Government agencies shall take into consideration -when translating regulatory documents- what is stated in paragraph (3) of this item, and the guiding evidence referred to in item (Third) of this Decision.

• 7- The committee -referred to in paragraph (2) of item (First) of this Decision- shall identify the regulatory documents related to economic affairs that are of direct concern to foreign investors, so that the Official Translation Department undertakes to review and approve their translation within (60) days from the receipt of the necessary documents, and provide the relevant government agency with a copy of the translation. The committee shall inform the government agency whose regulatory documents are not related to economic affairs or foreign investors that they do not require review by the Official Translation Department, in preparation for their publication.

• 8- Government agencies shall publish -after receiving their regulatory documents from the Official Translation Department or being informed by the committee in implementation of what is stated in paragraph (7) of this item- all their translated regulatory documents on their websites, and provide the National Center for Archives and Records with translated copies to be included on its website.

• 9- Regulatory documents -for the purposes of applying paragraphs (4) and (5) of this item- refer to all documents issued by government agencies that contain binding legal rules for those concerned and addressed by its provisions, including: (executive, regulatory, and procedural bylaws, rules, regulations, and requirements, decisions and circulars, guides, and organizational and procedural frameworks).

The legal effect shall apply to the projects and regulatory documents published in Arabic on the unified electronic platform for public opinion and government entities, as well as on the websites of government entities and on the website of the National Center for Archives and Records on the World Wide Web (Internet), in the event of any discrepancies with their versions published in English.

 The Official Translation Department shall carry out the translation works and tasks - referred to in paragraphs (4) of item (First) and (1), (2), and (7) of item (Fourth) of this Decision - through its personnel and by utilizing expert houses or experts, academics, and specialists in the field of translation both within the Kingdom and abroad. The Department, in order to perform its works and tasks, may form any committees and working groups it deems necessary.

 The periods mentioned in paragraphs (2) and (4) of item (First) and (1), (2), and (7) of item (Fourth) of this Decision may be extended by agreement between: His Excellency the General Supervisor of the Official Translation Department, His Excellency the Minister of Investment, and His Excellency the Chairman of the Board of Directors of the National Competitiveness Center.

 The Official Translation Department shall submit a report on the results of the implementation of this Decision and its evaluation, as well as what has been achieved in its execution, along with the main challenges and suggestions it sees, after the passage of one (1) year from the date of this Decision.

 The implementation of the Official Translation Division for the translation tasks and duties mentioned in paragraphs (4) of item (First) and (7) of item (Fourth) of this Decision shall be temporary until the conclusion of the study referred to in item (Second) of this Decision is approved.