The Workshop Focused on the Development of Regulations, Intensifying Control & Censorship, Raising Awareness and Empowering the Citizens
In the presence of His Excellency the Minister of Commerce and Investment, Dr. Majid bin Abdullah Al Qasabi, a workshop is held at the Ministry's headquarters in Riyadh, under the title "The National Program for Combating The Commercial Concealment". This is one of MCI initiatives within the National Transformation Program 2020.
The workshop tackled the most important challenges facing the efforts for combating the commercial concealment, besides finding quality solutions to eliminate this phenomenon. The workshop also discussed the Rules and Regulations, related to combating the commercial concealment. And the role of censorship in reducing such issues, as well as the aspects related to the awareness plans, also the procedures for settling the commercial cover up cases and the rulings issued in that regard, in addition to discussing boosting the cooperation with the concerned government authorities to eliminate this phenomenon.
The workshop focused on a number of practical solutions that would eliminate the commercial concealment, foremost of which are the development of regulations and legislation, intensifying the control and censorship and raising the awareness.
During the workshop, the following main hubs have been discussed: Monitoring the sources of funds by imposing the opening of bank accounts for the commercial establishment, also the need to deal with invoices, thus reducing foreign remittances, providing accurate information about the business practices in violation, and addressing them "each sector separately". This for combating the commercial cover up and boosting investment, besides raising the level of services provided to the consumer, also coordinating and unifying the efforts of the government agencies for the purpose of combating the commercial concealment, as well as the nationalization of jobs, in addition to providing fair competition in the commercial sector to make the Saudi market an attractive environment for investors.
The plan of combating the commercial concealment refers to the need of regulating and organizing the commercial sectors and the drying up of concealment sources, besides launching awareness campaigns on the bad effects of the commercial concealment, also the relevant fines & penalties, as well as the negative impact on the national economy, caused by this phenomenon.
The workshop has set up a roadmap to combat the commercial cover-up in various sectors, also to eliminate all its causes before they occur, and to minimize their economic and social effects. The workshop stressed the need to correct the current situation, by supporting and enabling the citizens to manage by themselves the commercial projects, through providing the necessary rehab, funding and granting them more privileges in the commercial sector in cooperation and coordination with the relevant authorities.
Meanwhile, the workshop highlighted the efforts rendered in combating the commercial concealment during the last period, where the number of cases referred to the Public Prosecution increased by 93% in 1438H, the total of cases reached (871), compared to (450) cases in 1437H. The total visits and inspection tours carried out by MCI inspectors increased by (40%). That is from (10503) inspection tours in 1437 AH to (14701) in 1438 AH, and the proportion of cases referred to other governmental bodies increased by (306%). That is from 76 cases in 1437 AH to 309 in 1438 AH.