Regulatory Arrangements of the National Centre for Palms & Dates 

 

- Organizational Framework Overview 

The regulatory arrangements cover the following aspects: The regulatory arrangements cover the following aspects: key definitions; the Center’s legal personality, affiliation, headquarters, branches, objectives, and functions; as well as the composition, powers, and responsibilities of the Board of Directors; the rules governing Board meetings; and the duties and responsibilities of the Chief Executive Officer. In addition, the arrangements define the financial approval processes; the Center’s budget and financial resources; its employment system; draft regulatory arrangements; and publication and enforcement requirements. 

Title: Regulatory Arrangements of the National Centre for Palms & Dates 

Date of Issue:  08/06/1443 AH, corresponding to 11/01/2022 CE

Date of Publication:  29/05/1444 AH, corresponding to 23/12/2022 CE

Status: In Force 

Issuing Authority: Council of Ministers Resolution No. (317) dated 08/06/1443 AH

 

Regulatory Arrangements of the National Centre for Palms & Dates 1443 AH

In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful

Council of Ministers Resolution No. (317) dated 08/06/1443 AH 

 

The Council of Ministers,

After reviewing the communication received from the Royal Court No. 60814 dated 13/11/1441H and No. 61259 dated 15/11/1442H regarding the organizational framework of the National Centre for Palms & Dates;
Having examined the draft regulatory arrangements of the National Centre for Palms & Dates; 
Having reviewed Royal Directives No. (7/B/18070) dated 08/04/1425H and No. (42649) dated 29/09/1432H; 
Having reviewed the minutes No. (626) dated 07/05/1441H and No. (1180) dated 29/08/1441H, as well as memoranda No. (914) dated 03/11/1441H, No. (975) dated 14/06/1442H, No. (246) dated 24/01/1443H, No. (644) dated 18/03/1443H, and No. (938) dated 24/04/1443H, prepared by the Bureau of Experts at the Council of Ministers; 

Having reviewed the recommendation issued by the Council of Economic and Development Affairs No. (8-7/43/D) dated 09/02/1443H; 
And having reviewed the recommendation of the General Committee of the Council of Ministers No. (4251) dated 18/05/1443H; .

 

Hereby decides the following: 

 

First:

The National Centre for Palms & Dates ــــ previously operating under the Council of Saudi Chambers pursuant to Royal Orders No. (7/ب/18070) dated 8/4/1425H and No. (42649) dated 29/9/1432H ــــ shall be transferred to a center directly reporting to the Minister of Environment, Water & Agriculture. 

 

Second:

Approval is hereby granted for the organizational framework of the National Centre for Palms & Dates, in accordance with the form attached. 

 

Third:

The Board of Directors of the National Centre for Palms & Dates shall exercise its authorities ــــ provided to the Board under paragraph (4) of Article (5) of the organizational framework referred to in the (Second) Clause of this Resolution ــــ in coordination with the Ministry of Finance and the Non-Oil Revenue Development Center, until a by-law is issued and implemented to govern the authorities granted to public entities in imposing fees for the services they provide. 

 

Fourth:

The Ministry of Environment, Water & Agriculture shall ــــ in coordination with the relevant authorities ــــ take the necessary measures to abolish its Palm and Dates Center previously established under Ministerial Resolution No. (1/21/297425) dated 30/6/1436H, and transfer its programs and initiatives to the National Centre for Palms & Dates referred to in the (Second) Clause of this Resolution. 

 

Prime Minister

Regulatory Arrangements of the National Centre for Palms & Dates 

 

Article 1:

The following terms ــــ wherever they appear in the Regulatory Arrangements section ـــــ shall have the meanings assigned to them, unless the context indicates otherwise: Center:

- National Centre for Palms & Dates. Arrangements. 
-The regulatory arrangements of the Center. Board.
- The Center's Board of Directors. Chairman. 
-The Board Chairman. 

 

Article 2:

The Center shall have legal personality and full financial and administrative independence. It shall be administratively linked to the Minister of Environment, Water & Agriculture, with its headquarters located in Riyadh. The Center may establish branches or offices within the Kingdom as needed. 

 

Article 3:

Without prejudice to the mandates of relevant government entities, the Center aims to support the development and sustainability of the national palm and date sector by improving cultivation and production processes, enhancing product quality, and establishing an integrated system of agricultural and marketing services. To achieve this, the Center may exercise the following functions and coordinate with the relevant authorities as necessary: 

1. Develop, review, evaluate, and oversee the implementation of policies, plans, programs, and initiatives related to palm cultivation and date production and marketing. 
2.Review laws, regulations, rules, decisions, and orders related to the Center’s mandate and submit recommendations in accordance with applicable regulatory procedures. 
3. Promote the integration of dates into food industries, support their marketing effort, and raise awareness of their nutritional and health value. 
4. Support applied research and studies regarding palm cultivation, increasing date production, marketing, and packaging. 
5. Contribute to the implementation of the technical regulations and standards issued by the Saudi Food and Drug Authority pertaining to dates. 
6. Encourage date producers to participate in local and international exhibitions.  
7. Support date exports by coordinating marketing efforts in international markets through embassies and trade exhibitions, in accordance with applicable regulations. 
8.Develop a dedicated database and information platform focused on palms and dates on the Center’s website, and launch initiatives to promote e-commerce for date products. 
9. Oversee the annual support program dedicated to empowering small-scale farmers and advancing rural development. 
10.Conduct studies and research on pests and diseases affecting palm trees and reducing date production. 
11. Develop and implement an integrated palm-pest management program, particularly for combating the Red Palm Weevil; supervise the implementation of related programs; and equip support teams to carry out control campaigns. 
12. Organize conferences, seminars, and workshops, and issue publications within the Center’s scope, in accordance with applicable procedures. 
13. Represent the Kingdom before counterpart entities and regional and international organizations in the Center’s areas of specialization, in accordance with applicable procedures. 
14. Oversee and operate the Date Packing Factory in Al-Ahsa Governorate, as well as any other facilities entrusted to the Center, in coordination with the relevant authorities. This includes working to enhance product quality in accordance with international standards and specifications. 
15. Work to improve cultivation and production practices in the palm and date sector, support marketing efforts in domestic and international markets, and ensure market stability. 

 

Article 4:

First :

The Center shall have a Board of Directors chaired by the Minister of Environment, Water & Agriculture, with the membership of the following: 

1. Chief Executive Officer of the Saudi Food & Drug Authority. 
2. Representatives from the Ministry of Environment, Water and Agriculture. 
3. A representative from the Agricultural Development Fund. 
4. A representative from the Ministry of Commerce. 
5. The Chief Executive Officer of the Center. 
6. The Secretary General of the Saudi Export Development Authority. 
7. Two specialists with relevant experience in the Center’s field of work, appointed by direct order of the Prime Minister based on the Chair’s nomination. Their term of membership shall be three years, renewable once. 

Second:

Representatives of government entities must hold a rank not lower than Grade (13) or its equivalent, making sure they have the relevant knowledge and expertise.

 

Third : 

The Chair may appoint a Vice-Chair from among the Board members representing government entities. 

 

Article 5:

 

The Board shall oversee and manage the Center's operations and activities, with authority to take the administrative decisions necessary to achieve the Center’s objectives. It shall exercise its powers within the scope of its mandate and the applicable regulations. In particular, the Board shall have the following duties and powers: 

1.Approve, review, and monitor the implementation of the Center’s general policies and strategic and operational plans. 
2. Approve the administrative and financial regulations governing the Center, as well as other internal and technical regulations necessary for its operations; provided that administrative regulations are approved in coordination with the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development, and that financial regulations ــــ and provisions with financial implications ــــ are approved in coordination with the Ministry of Finance. 
3. Approve the Center’s organizational structure. 
4. Determine the fees for services and activities provided by the Center, for which the Board deems it appropriate to collect fees. 
5. Approve investment channels for the Center’s funds in a way that supports its objectives and complies with applicable regulations. 
6. Approve the establishment, acquisition, or participation in companies operating within the Center’s scope of work, in accordance with applicable procedures. 
7. Approve the opening of new branches/offices for the Center where needed. 
8. Approve and submit the Center’s draft annual budget, final accounts, auditor’s report, and annual report, in accordance with applicable procedures. 
9. Appoint one or more external auditors, and an internal financial controller. 
10. Accept donations, grants, bequests, and endowments offered to the Center, in accordance with applicable procedures. 
11. Approve agreements and contracts entered into with other parties, in accordance with applicable procedures. 

The Board may delegate any of its powers to the Chair, to any of its members, or to any of the Center’s employees, as it deems appropriate. 

 

Article 6:

1. Board meetings shall be held at the Center’s headquarters. When necessary, meetings may be held at another location after obtaining the Chair’s approval. 
2. The Board shall convene at least four times a year, and whenever required as determined by the Chair. The Chair must call a meeting if requested by at least half of the members. In all cases, the meeting invitation must be accompanied by an agenda. 
3. A Board meeting shall only be valid if attended by a majority of its members, including the Chair or Vice-Chair. Board resolutions shall be adopted by a majority vote of members present. In the event of a tie, the Chair of the meeting shall have the casting vote. Members may not abstain from voting, nor may they authorize another member to vote on their behalf in their absence. 
4. Board discussions and resolutions shall be recorded in minutes signed by the Chair of the meeting and the attending members. Any member who disagrees with a resolution may record their objections and related reasons in the minutes. 
5. The Board may invite experts and advisors to attend its meetings to provide relevant expertise, without granting them voting rights. 

 

Article 7:

The Center shall have a Chief Executive Officer appointed and dismissed by a resolution of the Board, outlining the CEO’s remuneration and other financial benefits. The CEO shall be responsible for managing the Center’s affairs, including: 

 

1. Supervise the Center’s operations. 
2. Develop the plans and programs needed to achieve the Center’s objectives and submit them to the Board for approval. 
3. Develop the Center’s organizational structure and submit it to the Board for approval. 
4. Outline the Center’s financial, administrative, and internal regulations and submit them to the Board for approval. 
5. Appoint and supervise employees in accordance with approved regulations. 
6. Make sure the Center’s programs and activities are executed within the approved annual budget. 
7. Manage the approved budget and determine financial measures in accordance with applicable laws and the Board’s decisions. 
8. Represent the Center before the judiciary, government entities, and organizations inside and outside the Kingdom, with rights to delegate this authority. 
9. Monitor the preparation of the Center’s draft annual budget and submit it to the Board for approval. 
10. Create the annual report and other reports covering the implementation of the Center’s plans and programs, and submit them to the Board for approval. 
11. Approve the Center’s plans to organize or participate in conferences, seminars, and other academic or professional events related to its work, in accordance with applicable procedures. 
12. Sign agreements and contracts, in accordance with applicable procedures. 
13. Perform any other duties or powers assigned by the Board.  The CEO may delegate some of their powers and responsibilities to any of the Center employees they deem appropriate, as specified by the Center’s regulations. 

 

Article 8:

For the first five fiscal years starting 2022, the Center’s operating expenses shall be funded through allocations within the budget of the Ministry of Environment, Water & Agriculture. 

 

Article 9:

Upon completion of the period specified in Article 8, the Center shall operate under an independent annual budget financed by its own revenues. It shall be prepared and approved in line with the State’s general budget procedures. 

 

Article 10:

The Center’s financial resources shall consist of: 

 

1.  Allocations from the State’s general budget, as outlined in Article 8.
2.  Fees charged for services and activities delivered by the Center.
3.  Donations, grants, contributions, endowments, and proceeds from charitable trusts accepted by the Board.
4.  Any other source approved by the Board, provided it complies with applicable laws and regulations. 

- All funds shall be deposited into the Ministry of Finance’s current account with the Saudi Central Bank. 

The Center shall maintain its own account with the Saudi Central Bank, and may open additional accounts with licensed banks across the Kingdom. Payments from these accounts  shall be made in accordance with the Center’s approved budget and internal financial and administrative rules. 

 

Article 11:

Employees of the Center shall be subject to the Labor Law and the Social Insurance Law. 

 

Article 12:

 

The Board is responsible for the following: 

 

1. Develop a draft regulatory framework for the Center based on these arrangements and any additional requirements that may arise. 
2. Submit the draft regulatory framework to complete the necessary legal procedures within twelve (12) months from the date of approval of these arrangements. 

 

Article 13:

These arrangements shall be published in the Official Gazette and shall take effect from the date of publication.