Issued by Council of Ministers Decision 152
Article 1
The following terms and phrases—wherever they appear in this system—have the meanings assigned to each of them, unless the context requires otherwise:
Center:
The National Center for the Prevention and Control of Plant Pests and Animal Diseases.
System:
The system of the center.
Ministry:
The Ministry of Environment, Water, and Agriculture.
Minister:
The Minister of Environment, Water, and Agriculture.
Board:
The board of directors of the center.
Chairman:
The chairman of the board.
Chief executive officer:
The chief executive officer of the center.
Pests:
Any type, species, or biotype of plant or animal organisms, or any agent that is disease-causing to plants or animals.
Animal diseases:
Epidemic or infectious diseases and their vectors in accordance with the classification of the World Organisation for Animal Health.
Service providers:
Entities licensed by the center to control pests and animal diseases.
License:
An official document issued by the center to practice pest and animal disease control activities.
Article 2
The center enjoys legal personality and financial and administrative independence. It is legally affiliated with the minister and its headquarters must be in the City of Riyadh. It is permitted by a decision by the board, to establish branches or offices for it within the kingdom.
Article 3
The center aims to implement measures that achieve the approved policies of the ministry for controlling pests and animal diseases, through prevention and treatment measures to ensure the health and sustainability of plants and animals, enhance the participation of the private sector, and unify efforts between government and private entities in this field.
Article 4
In order to achieve its objectives, the center shall undertake the following mandates:
1․ Developing the necessary strategies, plans, programs, initiatives, measures, and controls relating to its objectives.
2․ Setting the necessary rules for qualifying and licensing service providers.
3․ Licensing service providers and taking legal procedures against them when they violate the laws or breach their obligations.
4․ Supervising and overseeing the work of service providers through their periodic evaluations.
5․ Contracting with service providers in accordance with the legal procedures, to provide preventive and treatment means for plants and animals.
6․ Rapidly intervening to provide the necessary treatment relating to pests and animal diseases, when a service provider does not fulfill its obligations or in the absence of a service provider.
7․ Conducting periodic inspections to ensure that pests do not spread and to investigate animal diseases, in cooperation with the competent entities.
8․ Developing and adopting prevention and control techniques.
9․ Developing a database containing information on pests and animal diseases and their spread, updating it regularly, and working to make it available to stakeholders in accordance with approved policies.
10․ Governing and supervising the process of limiting the spread of pests and animal diseases, in coordination with the relevant entities.
11․ Developing emergency plans related to pests and animal diseases, and overseeing their implementation.
12․ Identifying potential pests and animal diseases and the extent of their impact and economic harm, cataloging them, updating them, and publishing them in the list of pests and animal diseases.
13․ Following up on the movements of pests and animal diseases in neighboring countries and during migration seasons, taking the necessary measures, and issuing early warnings about them.
14․ Obtaining from individuals and governmental and non-governmental entities information and data related to its mandates and necessary for the performance of its tasks.
15․ Providing technical and consultancy services in the field of pest and animal disease control.
16․ Issuing all periodic and annual reports and statistics on pests and animal diseases after coordination with the ministry.
17․ Holding exhibitions, conferences, seminars, and awareness campaigns on pest and animal disease control, in coordination with the competent entities.
18․ Signing memorandums of understanding and agreements—in accordance with the established legal procedures—with local government authorities and non-governmental entities, including companies and institutions, to benefit from the best technologies, systems, research, and studies in the fields related to pest and disease control.
19․ Any other mandates—approved by the board—related to the objectives of the center.
Article 5
First: The center must have a board of directors chaired by the minister—or his representative—and the membership of each of
1․ Two representatives from the Ministry of Environment, Water, and Agriculture.
2․ A representative from the Ministry of Interior.
3․ A representative from the Ministry of Municipal and Rural Affairs.
4․ A representative from the Ministry of Finance.
5․ A representative from the Ministry of Health.
6․ A representative from the National Center for Disease Prevention and Control.
7․ A representative from the General Authority of Customs.
8․ A representative from the Saudi Food and Drug Authority.
9․ Three members who are competent and of expertise in the field of work of the center and from the private sector, nominated by the minister and appointed by a decision by the board of directors. The term of their membership is three years, renewable once.
Second: The rank of representatives of government entities in the board must not be less than the 14th rank or its equivalent.
Article 6
The board is the supreme authority for managing the affairs of the center and conducting its business, and must take all necessary decisions to achieve its objectives within the limits of the provisions of the system, and in particular the following:
1․ Approving the strategies, plans, programs, initiatives, procedures, and controls related to the objectives of the center.
2․ Approving the organizational structure of the center.
3․ Approving the financial regulations, in agreement with the Ministry of Finance.
4․ Approving the administrative and technical regulations, in agreement with the Ministry of Finance, in relation to the provisions with financial impact provided within.
5․ Determining the fee for the services of service providers.
6․ Determining the fee received by the center for the services and licenses it provides.
7․ Approving the draft budget of the center, its final account, the accounts auditor report, and the annual report, in preparation for submitting them in accordance with the established legal procedures.
8․ Accepting donations, gifts, grants, bequests, awqaf, and endowments provided to the center.
9․ Forming work teams and committees from among the members of the board or others, and determining their mandates.
The board may delegate any or some of its mandates to any of the officials in the center as required for the conduct of work.
Article 7
1․ Board meetings must be held at the headquarters of the center, and it is permitted, when necessary, to hold them in another place within the kingdom.
2․ The chairman of the board may delegate to one of the members of the board from the representatives of government entities to chair board meetings in the event of his absence.
3․ The board must meet at least four times a year upon the invitation of its chairman or his delegate, and whenever the interest so requires. The chairman shall invite the board to meet if at least four of the members request it and the invitation must be accompanied by the agenda of the meeting.
4․ The meeting is valid if attended by a majority of the members, including the chairman or his delegate. Decisions must be issued by a majority of the votes of at least the members in attendance, and in the event of a tie vote, the side with which the chairman of the meeting votes prevails. It is not permitted for a member to abstain from voting or authorize another member to vote on his behalf during his absence.
5․ It is permitted—when necessary—to hold meetings and vote on decisions remotely using technology or by circulation to the members of the board and signing them when circulated in a manner that indicates that all members have been informed of them. Decisions issued in this manner are not valid unless they are circulated to all members of the board, voted on, and obtain at least a majority of their votes.
6․ The deliberations and decisions of the board must be recorded in minutes signed by the chairman of the meeting and the members in attendance. The objecting member may record his objection and the reasons for the objection in the minutes of the board meeting.
7․ The board may invite whoever it deems necessary to attend its meetings, to be assisted with their information and expertise, without them having the right to vote.
Article 8
The center must have a chief executive officer, appointed and relieved by a decision of the board. The decision must determine his salary and other financial benefits. He is responsible for managing the center, and his responsibilities must be within the limits of the system and regulations issued under it and the decisions of the board. He shall exercise the following mandates and powers:
1․ Supervising the progress of the work of the center and its employees.
2․ Preparing for board meetings, issuing invitations, supervising the preparation of the minutes and decisions of the board, and following up on their implementation after their adoption.
3․ Proposing strategies, plans, programs, initiatives, rules, and procedures necessary to implement the objectives of the center, and supervising their implementation after their approval.
4․ Appointing, supervising, and terminating the services of the center personnel in accordance with the powers entrusted to him and as specified by the regulations of the center.
5․ Utilizing distinguished cadres and capabilities in the fields of work of the center.
6․ Proposing the organizational structure of the center, and its financial, administrative, and technical regulations, and supervising their implementation after approval.
7․ Contracting to perform works, provide services, and others, in accordance with the powers delegated to him by the board.
8․ Issuing disbursement orders in accordance with the approved annual budget of the center, and taking all financial measures in accordance with the financial laws and regulations, and within the limits of the powers delegated to him by the board.
9․ Preparing periodic reports on the work of the center, its achievements, activities, and the obstacles it faces, and submitting them to the board.
10․ Supervising the preparation of the draft budget of the center, its final account, and the annual report, and submitting them to the board.
11․ Submitting proposals to the board regarding topics within his mandates.
12․ Representing the center before the judiciary, and before government entities, institutions, authorities, and other entities inside and outside the kingdom, and he may authorize others to do so.
13․ Any other mandate assigned to him by the board.
The chief executive officer may, after the approval of the board, delegate some of his mandates and powers to other center personnel.
Article 9
1․ The center must have an independent annual budget, issued in accordance with the arrangements for issuing the general budget of the state.
2․ The financial year of the center is the financial year of the state.
Article 10
1․ The financial resources of the center consist of the following:
(a) The appropriations allocated to it in the general budget of the state.
(b) The fee received by the center for the services and licenses it issues.
(c) Donations, gifts, grants, bequests, awqaf, and endowments accepted by the board.
(d) Other resources approved by the board, provided that they do not conflict with the laws and instructions.
2․ The funds of the center must be deposited in the current account of the Ministry of Finance in the Saudi Arabian Monetary Authority, and must be disbursed in accordance with its approved budget.
3․ The center shall open an account in the Saudi Arabian Monetary Authority, and may open other accounts at any of the banks licensed to operate in the Kingdom. Disbursements from these accounts must be made in accordance with the approved budget of the center and its regulations.
Article 11
All center personnel are subject to the provisions of the Labor Law and the provisions of the Social Insurance Law.
Article 12
Without prejudice to the mandates of the General Court of Audit, the board shall appoint one or more external account auditors licensed to operate in the Kingdom to audit the accounts of the center and its transactions, statements, annual budget, and final account, and the board shall determine their fees.
The report of the accounts auditor must be submitted to the board, and a copy of it must be provided to the General Court of Audit after its approval by the board.
Article 13
The center shall submit its annual final account to the Council of Ministers within 90 days from the end of the financial year, and a copy of it must be provided to the General Court of Audit.
Article 14
The center shall submit to the Prime Minister, within 90 days from the end of the financial year, an annual report on its achievements during the past year, the difficulties it has faced, and any proposals it deems necessary to improve the conduct of work.
Article 15
The system must be published in the official gazette, and comes into force 60 days after the date of its publication.
Published in Umm Al-Qura 4855 issued on 30 October 2020.
