This is Part of MCI Continuous Efforts to Activate and Promote the Inspection Campaigns on Industrial Projects in the Kingdom
MCI recent statistics showed that more than sixty factories in violation were shut down during the inspection rounds on industrial projects last year 1436 AH. The Commission of considering the industrial violations in the Ministry had issued decrees for closing the sites in violation, until the owners would do the necessary amendments and clear up any related effects. Such decrees included the closing of several activities, most of which were the factories of steel, electrical materials, detergents, cosmetics and perfumes.
Penalties of depriving of customs exemption were imposed by MCI on two factories, due to their involvement in selling customs exempted raw materials without any manufacturing process on them. The maximum penalties of writing off the industrial license were taken against two factories, due to some serious irregularities in the production hall, and for using expired raw materials in the production lines. Those responsible were summoned by MCI for investigation and taking the legal penalties against them.
This comes within MCI efforts and permanent pursuit to activate the control and inspection role on the industrial institutions in the Kingdom, which aims to improve the industrial environment and to make it free of irregularities, and to contribute in attracting the commercial and industrial investments in the local market.
Meanwhile, MCI gave administrative warnings for more than twenty factories last year, after the inspectors had monitored several observations and notes, which did not require closure, but only large quantities of products were seized for examination and testing the samples to check their conformity with the Saudi Standard Specifications.
MCI carried out inspection campaigns on steel and cables factories, resulted in detecting many factories in violation. This is in addition to the periodic or routine visits conducted by MCI inspectors on all other trade activities. Any factory in violation would be referred to the above mentioned Commission for taking the necessary legal action against it.
MCI had announced earlier the establishment of the commission for considering the industrial violations last February, and the jurisdiction of such Commission was to monitor and investigate the violations of the industrial projects in the kingdom, detected during field visits and inspection campaigns and to respond to the customers reports and complaints, this is beside having the authority to impose penalties and to take administrative measures against the violating factories, depending on the type and nature of the offense. MCI pointed out that the creation of such commission would aim at activating the supervisory and control roles, and to develop the industrial sector, as well as to improve the economic and industrial environment in the Kingdom.
According to the Ministerial Decree, the administrative penalties to be imposed by the Commission on all industrial projects, except what is excluded by the Consolidated Industrial Organization System of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), issued by the Royal Decree No. M / 20 dated 04/04/1427 AH.
The decree also provides for the eligibility of such commission to address all competent authorities in the Kingdom for providing the necessary information and data, needed to perform the work. It has the right as well to summon the owner of the industrial project, or any other person, to conduct the investigation on the industrial project in violation.