Aims to Verify the Clarity and to avoid Misleading of Trade Data for the Imported and Locally Produced Commodities
Based on the principle of transparency and participation, MCI calls on those interested and the public to express their opinions and suggestions on the amendment draft of the Implementing Regulation of Trade Data System, which aims to ensure and protect the consumers' rights through an emphasis on the correctness of the trade data for imported and locally produced commodities. MCI called on those interested to participate in amending the said Regulation through its website before Tuesday, 19/05/1436 AH, corresponding to 10/03/2015 AD, indicating the importance of the project for the economic and trade sector in the Kingdom. This is to take account of the consumer`s rights and to preserve the interests of the merchant under fair trade and free competition.
This comes from the Ministry's desire to review and develop the Rules & Regulations that are under its supervision to meet the current and future needs, as the Ministry initiated the amendment of the Implementing Regulation of Trade Data System, issued by the Ministerial Decree No.(1901) dated 24/08/1423 AH, which aims to protect the rights and responsibilities of each of the consumer and the advertiser and to clarify the importance and necessity of the fact that the trade data are identical to the fact, to ensure clarity and to avoid misleading, this is in the context of what does suit the local environment and to be in consistent with the best compared and applied practices.
Trade data means the explanations that must be placed on the goods or products directly or indirectly, stating the definition or their distinctive features. The producer or the importer is committed to write the mandatory trade data on all goods or products, which he produces or imports, including the number and quantity of goods, expiry date in addition to the country of origin, the elements added in their composition and the name of the product. This is in accordance with the Implementing Regulation of Trade Data System.
Trade data system and its implementing regulations stipulate for the inadmissibility of putting any trade data on a product suggesting that such product is originated in a geographical area different from the original one, including the trade brands. If the manufacturer has more than a factory in more than one country, then he and the importer should clarify the name of the country in which the item is made, and if the production stages take place in more than one country, this should be clarified as well in details, stating the stages of production in each country and not just mentioning the country in which the main factory is located.
This amendment aims at regulating the trade data that are displayed in any media, including written adverts, which they should be in Arabic and identical to the fact in all aspects, to ensure clarity and to avoid misleading the consumer in any way.
The Trade Data System and its Implementing Regulations stipulate as well the responsibility of the producer, importer, corporate officers and distributors about any violation of the provisions of the trade data system and its implementing regulations, each one will be responsible and subject to the applied penalties imposed on the violator.
MCI calls on those interested and the public to participate and express their opinions on the Implementing Regulations of the Trade Data System by logging in this link:
Click here.