Article 12 of the Saudi Competition Law

This article aims to ensure the independence and impartiality of the General Authority for Competition, and contains two provisions:

First: the ban on commercial business and conflicts of interest

• The Authority and the Board members are prohibited from carrying on commercial business.
• Board members who are chosen in their personal capacity are excepted from this.
• The Authority's staff are prohibited from practicing any profession that conflicts with the Authority's work and objectives.
• The Board approves rules on disclosure and transparency.

Second: the ban on gifts and donations

Gifts, donations, endowments, bequests, grants and aid to the Authority are prohibited, except what government bodies provide to it. The purpose is to avoid any possible influence on the decisions of a body that monitors establishments in the market.

Article 13 completes these safeguards by requiring Board members and the Authority's staff to keep information confidential, and barring anyone with an interest or a family relationship from taking part in deliberations. Note that the exception in paragraph 2 is limited to what government bodies provide, so it does not include what the private sector or individuals provide.

Those who deal with the Authority and raise a conflict of interest issue can consult a lawyer specialized in administrative cases and competition cases.