The Organizational Arrangements for the National Center for Palms and Dates

- Overview of the System:

The arrangements include Definitions, the center's legal personality, independence, affiliation, and headquarters, the center's objectives and functions, the Board of Directors, the Board's powers and responsibilities, Board meetings, the CEO's duties and responsibilities, financial allocations, the center's budget, financial resources, employment regulations for the center's staff, preparation of the center's organizational project, publication, and enforcement.

Name: Organizational Arrangements for the National Center for Palms and Dates

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

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

Status: Active

Issuance Tools:

Cabinet Resolution No. (317) dated 08/06/1443 AH

Organizational Arrangements for the National Center for Palms and Dates
1443 AH

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

Cabinet Resolution No. (317) dated 08/06/1443 AH

The Council of Ministers,

After reviewing the transaction received from the Royal Court No. 60814 dated 13/11/1441 AH, and No. 61259 dated 15/11/1442 AH, regarding the organization of the National Center for Palms and Dates.
After reviewing the draft organizational arrangements for the National Center for Palms and Dates.
After reviewing Royal Order No. (7/B/18070) dated 08/04/1425 AH, and No. (42649) dated 29/09/1432 AH.
After reviewing the records No. (626) dated 07/05/1441 AH, No. (1180) dated 29/08/1441 AH, and memorandums No. (914) dated 03/11/1441 AH, No. (975) dated 14/06/1442 AH, No. (246) dated 24/01/1443 AH, No. (644) dated 18/03/1443 AH, and No. (938) dated 24/04/1443 AH, prepared by the Bureau of Experts at the Council of Ministers.

After reviewing the recommendation prepared by the Economic and Development Affairs Council No. (8-7/43/D) dated 09/02/1443 AH.
After reviewing the recommendation of the General Committee of the Council of Ministers No. (4251) dated 18/05/1443 AH.

The following is decided:

First:

Transform the National Center for Palms and Dates—previously affiliated with the Saudi Chambers Council, as per Royal Orders No. (7/B/18070) dated 08/04/1425 AH, and No. (42649) dated 29/09/1432 AH—into a center that is organizationally affiliated with the Minister of Environment, Water, and Agriculture.

Second:

Approve the organizational arrangements for the National Center for Palms and Dates, as attached.

Third:

The Board of Directors of the National Center for Palms and Dates shall exercise its powers, as stipulated in clause (4) of Article (5) of the organizational arrangements—referred to in item (Second) of this resolution—in agreement with the Ministry of Finance and the Non-Oil Revenue Development Center, until the issuance of the regulation for the imposition of financial fees for services and activities provided by authorities and public institutions, and its implementation.

Fourth:

The Ministry of Environment, Water, and Agriculture shall, in coordination with the relevant authorities, take the necessary actions to cancel the Palm and Dates Center affiliated with it, as per Ministerial Decision No. (1/21/297425) dated 30/06/1436 AH, and transfer the programs and initiatives supervised by that center to the National Center for Palms and Dates mentioned in item (Second) of this resolution.

Prime Minister

Organizational Arrangements for the National Center for Palms and Dates

Article 1:

The following terms, wherever mentioned in these arrangements, shall have the meanings specified next to each unless the context indicates otherwise:
- Center: The National Center for Palms and Dates.
- Arrangements: The organizational arrangements for the center.
- Board: The Board of Directors of the center.
- President: The President of the Board.

Article 2:

The center shall have legal personality, financial and administrative independence, and be organizationally affiliated with the Minister of Environment, Water, and Agriculture. Its headquarters shall be in Riyadh, and it may establish branches or offices within the Kingdom as needed.

Article 3:

Without prejudice to the competencies of the relevant government authorities, the center aims to contribute to the development and sustainability of palm cultivation and date production in the Kingdom, enhance their quality, and work on establishing an integrated system of agricultural and marketing services. For this purpose, the center, in cooperation with relevant authorities, may perform the following functions:

1. Develop policies, plans, programs, and initiatives in the field of palm cultivation and date production and marketing, review, evaluate, and supervise their implementation.
2. Review laws, regulations, decisions, and orders related to the center's functions, and submit them according to the established legal procedures.
3. Encourage the incorporation of dates into food industries, promote their marketing, and raise awareness of the nutritional and health value of dates.
4. Support applied research and studies in the field of palm cultivation, date production, marketing, and packaging.
5. Contribute to the application of technical regulations and standards approved by the Saudi Food and Drug Authority regarding dates in the Kingdom.
6. Encourage date producers to participate in local and international exhibitions.
7. Contribute to promoting date exports through marketing campaigns abroad via embassies and trade fairs, following the relevant regulatory provisions.
8. Establish a database and information system related to palms and dates on the center's website, and launch an initiative to support e-commerce for dates.
9. Supervise the annual Small Farmers Support Program to support rural development.
10. Conduct studies and research on insects and diseases affecting palms that reduce date production.
11. Develop an Integrated Pest Management Program for palms, especially to combat the red palm weevil, limit its spread, supervise the implementation of such programs, and work on equipping support teams for control campaigns.
12. Organize conferences, seminars, and workshops and issue publications in the center's field of expertise, following the established legal procedures.
13. Represent the Kingdom in similar entities and regional and international organizations in the center's field of expertise, following the established legal procedures.
14. Supervise and operate the date packaging factory in Al-Ahsa and other entities transferred to the center's supervision, in coordination with the relevant authorities, and work on improving quality according to international standards.
15. Work on improving the quality of palm cultivation, date production, and marketing in local and international markets, and strive to achieve market balance.

Article 4:

First :

The center shall have a Board of Directors chaired by the Minister of Environment, Water, and Agriculture, with members including:

The CEO of the Saudi Food and Drug Authority.
Representatives from the Ministry of Environment, Water, and Agriculture.
A representative from the Agricultural Development Fund.
A representative from the Ministry of Commerce.
The center's CEO.
The Secretary-General of the Saudi Export Development Authority.
Two specialists with expertise in the center's field, appointed by order of the Prime Minister based on the president's nomination, for a renewable term of three years.

Second:

Representatives of government entities must be at least of the (13th) rank or its equivalent and be specialists.

Third :

The president may appoint a vice-president from among the Board members representing government entities.

Article 5:

The Board shall oversee the center's affairs, manage its operations, and make necessary administrative decisions to achieve its objectives and exercise its powers within the limits of the center's functions and relevant laws. It specifically has the following responsibilities:

1. Approve the center's general policies, strategic and operational plans, review them, and monitor their implementation.
2. Approve the administrative and financial regulations governing the center, along with other internal and technical regulations necessary for its operations, provided that administrative regulations are approved in agreement with the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development, and financial regulations and provisions with financial implications in administrative regulations are approved in agreement with the Ministry of Finance.
3. Approve the organizational structure of the center.
4. Determine the fees for services or activities provided by the center that the Board deems necessary to charge fees for.
5. Approve the investment of the center's funds to achieve its objectives, according to the applicable regulations.
6. Approve the establishment or acquisition of companies or participation in them within the center's field of work, according to the applicable regulations.
7. Approve the opening of branches or offices of the center when necessary.
8. Approve the annual budget of the center, endorse the final accounts, auditor's report, and the center's annual report, and submit them according to the applicable legal procedures.
9. Appoint an external auditor (or more) and an internal financial monitor.
10. Accept donations, grants, bequests, and endowments provided to the center, according to the applicable legal procedures.
11. Approve the conclusion of agreements and contracts according to the applicable legal procedures.

The Board may delegate some of its powers to the president or any of its members or center employees.

Article 6:

Board meetings shall be held at the center's headquarters, but may, with the president's approval, be held elsewhere when necessary.
The Board shall meet at least four (4) times a year, and whenever the need arises as determined by the Chair.
The Chair shall call the Board to convene if at least half of the members request it. In all cases, the invitation must be accompanied by the meeting agenda.
Board meetings shall not be valid unless a majority of members are present, including the Chair or their deputy.
Board decisions shall be made by a majority vote of those present. In case of a tie, the side voted for by the Chairperson of the meeting shall prevail.
A Board member may not abstain from voting or delegate another member to vote on their behalf in their absence.
The Board’s discussions and decisions shall be recorded in minutes signed by the Chairperson of the meeting and the members present. Any objecting member may record their objection and reasons in the Board’s meeting minutes.
The Board may invite whomever it deems necessary of specialists and advisors to attend its meetings, without having voting rights.

Article 7:

The Center shall have a Chief Executive Officer (CEO) appointed and dismissed by a decision of the Board in which the salary and other financial benefits are determined. The CEO shall manage the Center’s affairs and shall, in particular, be responsible for the following:

Supervising the progress of work at the Center.
Preparing the necessary plans and programs to implement the Center’s objectives and submitting them to the Board for approval.
Preparing the Center’s organizational structure and submitting it to the Board for approval.
Preparing the Center’s financial, administrative, and other internal regulations to manage its affairs and submitting them to the Board for approval.
Appointing the Center’s employees according to the approved regulations and supervising them.
Implementing the programs and all activities of the Center within the annual budget.
Spending from the approved budget and taking financial measures in accordance with the regulations and Board decisions.
Representing the Center before the judiciary and with governmental bodies, institutions, and other entities inside and outside the Kingdom, and may delegate others for that.
Supervising the preparation of the Center’s draft annual budget and presenting it to the Board for approval.
Preparing the annual report and special reports on the implementation of the Center’s plans and programs and presenting them to the Board for approval.
Approving the organization of conferences, seminars, and scientific meetings related to its work, in accordance with regulatory procedures.
Signing agreements and contracts in accordance with applicable regulatory procedures.
Carrying out any other functions or powers assigned to them by the Board.
The CEO may delegate some of their duties and powers to whoever they deem appropriate from the Center’s personnel, in accordance with what is specified in the Center’s regulations.

Article 8:

The Center shall have financial allocations to cover its expenses within the budget of the Ministry of Environment, Water and Agriculture for a period of five years starting from the fiscal year 2022.

Article 9:

After the period specified in Article Eight of the arrangements ends, the Center shall have an independent annual budget from its revenues, prepared and issued according to the procedures for issuing the State’s general budget.

Article 10:

The Center’s financial resources shall consist of the following:

Allocations designated in the State’s general budget in accordance with Article Eight of the arrangements.
Financial compensation for the works and services it provides.
Donations, gifts, grants, bequests, and endowment revenues accepted by the Board.
Any other resources approved by the Board, provided they do not conflict with laws and regulations.

- The Center’s funds shall be deposited into the current account of the Ministry of Finance at the Saudi Central Bank.

- The Center shall open an account at the Saudi Central Bank, and may open other accounts at any licensed banks operating in the Kingdom. Disbursements from these accounts shall be made from the Center’s approved budget according to its financial and administrative regulations.

Article 11:

The Center’s employees shall be subject to the provisions of the Labor Law and the Social Insurance Law.

Article 12:

The Board shall:

Prepare a draft regulation for the Center, based on the provisions of these arrangements and as may be necessary.
Submit the draft regulation to complete the necessary legal procedures within no more than twelve (12) months from the date of approval of these arrangements.

Article 13:

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

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