Saudi Arabia: Commerce Ministry Bans Use of Religious Names on Bags and Packaging

Saudi Gazette, 12 January 2026: Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Commerce has prohibited printing the names of God on bags and packaging to preserve respect for religious expressions.

The Ministry announced a directive banning the inclusion of divine names on commercial packaging and shopping bags. The measure aims to prevent misuse and improper disposal of items bearing sacred references. Officials confirmed that the ban applies to all retailers and manufacturers, with compliance checks to follow.

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Saudi Arabia: Cabinet Approves Regulatory Frameworks for Four Special Economic Zones

Asharq Al-Awsat, 2 January 2026: Saudi Arabia’s Cabinet approved regulatory frameworks for four Special Economic Zones, initiating a major step to bolster the Kingdom’s investment ecosystem.

In a decision on 2 January 2026, the Saudi Cabinet approved new regulations governing the special economic zones (SEZs) in Jazan, Ras Al-Khair, King Abdullah Economic City, and the Cloud Computing & Informatics Zone in Riyadh. The move marked the transition of these SEZs into their operational and legal phase, offering investors a clear roadmap on incentives, licensing regimes, and ownership flexibility.

Minister of Investment confirmed that the regulations will come into force in early April 2026, describing the approval as a major leap in developing the Kingdom’s regulatory ecosystem and enhancing global investment competitiveness in line with Vision 2030.

Each zone targets strategic sectors aligned with its regional strengths:

• Jazan: a hub for food processing, mining, and manufacturing, leveraging its port and links to African markets.
• Ras Al-Khair: a centre for maritime, shipbuilding, offshore rigs, and marine support.
• King Abdullah Economic City: a logistics, high-value manufacturing, and automotive hub.
• Cloud Computing & Informatics Zone (Riyadh): a data-driven economy zone, facilitating local data storage and processing by global tech firms.

The regulations include incentives like flexible licensing, tax and customs exemptions, streamlined operational procedures, foreign ownership rights, multilingual trade naming, and exemptions from select provisions of Saudi Arabia Cabinet Decision No. 678/1443 on the Approval of the Companies Law. Tailored Saudisation frameworks will align workforce policies to each zone’s economic activity, balancing local talent development with investor needs.

The unified governance model will provide clear mandates across government entities, accelerating licensing processes and ensuring a fast, flexible business environment. As a result, firms will have enhanced regulatory clarity and operational agility when entering or scaling within Saudi Arabia’s SEZs

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Saudi Arabia: Central Bank Cuts Banking and Payment Fees Under New Framework

Gulf Business, 23 December 2025: The Saudi Central Bank (SAMA) has unveiled a new regulatory guide aimed at reducing banking and payment fees, enhancing transparency, and strengthening consumer protection across the financial sector.

SAMA announced the introduction of the “Fees Guide for Financial Institutions’ Services,” which will replace the existing Banking Tariff. The guide sets out revised fee structures for services offered by banks and payment companies, including reductions in administrative charges for financing products, card reissuance, international transactions, and fund transfers. The move is designed to promote financial inclusion, improve pricing clarity, and encourage digital adoption.

In addition to the fee reforms, SAMA issued updated Implementing Regulations under the Saudi Arabia Regulation No. 4/1434 on Implementing Regulation of the Finance Companies Control Law. These updates modernise licensing requirements, adjust aggregate finance limits, and clarify procedures for expired licenses. The changes also repeal outdated rules on microfinance activities, reflecting a broader effort to streamline oversight and support sustainable sector growth.

Both the Fees Guide and the updated regulations are available on SAMA’s Rulebook portal.

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Saudi Arabia: Digital Health and Safety Transformation

Arab News, 15 December 2025: Saudi Food and Drug Authority (SFDA) has introduced a number of new digital health and safety systems.

The digital tools are being used to strengthen pharmacovigilance and oversight of cosmetic safety. The transformation began with the launch of the fully digital “Saudi Vigilance” platform, which has replaced paper-based adverse reaction reporting. Smart reporting forms and behavioural nudges have also improved data quality and completion rates, while centralised dashboards are providing real-time analysis of adverse events, enabling early detection of safety signals.

In addition, Robotic Process Automation (RPA) has been used to streamline medication safety processes by automating repetitive tasks such as report sorting and data checks, significantly improving efficiency. The SFDA has also integrated digital safety measures into hospital systems, delivering alerts and training materials directly to healthcare professionals. Finally, the Saudi Name Registration (SNR) platform is now improving drug name safety checks in both Arabic and English, reducing the risk of medication errors.

SFDA also plan to deploy artificial intelligence tools for cosmetic product safety, including automated ingredient checks and consumer feedback analysis.

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Saudi Arabia: Updates Beneficial Ownership Regulations for Companies

Saudi Arabia’s Minister of Commerce has issued new regulations governing beneficial ownership disclosure, replacing previous rules with more comprehensive requirements for business transparency.

Under Ministerial Decision No. 99/1447, companies must now maintain detailed registers of their beneficial owners, defined as natural persons who exercise ultimate effective control over a business, either directly or indirectly.

The regulations establish a three-tier system for identifying beneficial owners. The primary criterion requires identifying individuals who own 25% or more of a company’s capital. If no such owner exists, the second criterion looks at individuals exercising control through other means. In cases where no beneficial owner can be identified through ownership or control, the company’s director, board member, or chairman will be designated as the beneficial owner.

Companies must record specific details about beneficial owners, including full name, nationality, date and place of birth, identification documents, passport details for non-residents, address, contact information, and the nature and extent of their ownership or control. The register must also document when beneficial ownership status was established.

The Ministry of Commerce will maintain a central database of beneficial ownership information, though no fees will be charged for registration or annual confirmation of details. Companies failing to comply with these requirements face penalties under Saudi company law.

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Saudi Arabia: Implements New Public Finance Control Law

Argaam, 27 November 2025: Saudi Arabia’s Cabinet has approved a comprehensive Financial Oversight Law to replace existing legislation, extending financial controls across all state-funded entities and organisations receiving government support.

The new legislation introduces expanded oversight measures for bodies managing public funds, including those collecting state revenues or conducting procurement on behalf of government institutions.

Under the updated framework, oversight mechanisms will be tailored to individual organisations based on their operational independence and financial risk levels. The law establishes specific monitoring requirements for entities funded through the state’s general budget, as well as those receiving government subsidies or grants.

The legislation also covers organisations contracted to collect public revenue or perform government-commissioned work and procurement activities. All entities falling under the law’s scope must adhere to new compliance standards and financial reporting requirements.

The Ministry of Finance will oversee the implementation of these enhanced control measures, which introduce updated regulatory tools for monitoring public expenditure and revenue collection. The new law establishes standardised procedures for financial oversight while allowing for entity-specific adaptations based on operational requirements.

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Saudi Arabia: New Safety Rules Launched for High-Risk Jobs

Saudi Arabia’s Minister of Human Resources and Social Development has introduced strict new regulations governing high-risk occupations, establishing a comprehensive licensing and accreditation framework for both individuals and organisations involved in occupational safety and health.

The new regulation introduces two distinct qualification pathways – a professional track and a practitioner track – for individuals working in hazardous occupations. It sets out detailed requirements for licensing establishments that provide occupational safety and health services, including consulting firms, training centres, and e-learning providers.

Under the framework, specific technical and regulatory standards must be met before accreditation is granted. The regulation outlines qualification requirements for practitioners and establishes governance protocols to ensure compliance with national safety standards.

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