Article 2 of the Saudi Electronic Transactions Law
المادة 2 من نظام التعاملات الإلكترونية · الفصل الأول: أحكام عامة: تعريفات
The article sets out the objectives of the Electronic Transactions Law: unifying its rules, building confidence in it, facilitating its use, removing obstacles to it, and preventing its misuse and fraud.
Official text (Arabic)
This article has not been amended since the law was issued.
يهدف هذا النظام إلى ضبط التعاملات والتوقيعات الإلكترونية ، وتنظيمها، وتوفير إطار نظامي لها بما يؤدي إلى تحقيق ما يلي:
1 - إرساء قواعد نظامية موحدة لاستخدام التعاملات والتوقيعات الإلكترونية وتسهيل تطبيقها في القطاعين العام والخاص بوساطة سجلات إلكترونية يعول عليها.
2 - إضفاء الثقة في صحة التعاملات والتوقيعات والسجلات الإلكترونية وسلامتها.
3 - تيسير استخدام التعاملات والتوقيعات الإلكترونية على الصعيدين المحلي والدولي للاستفادة منها في جميع المجالات، كالإجراءات الحكومية والتجارة والطب والتعليم والدفع المالي الإلكتروني .
4 - إزالة العوائق أمام استخدام التعاملات والتوقيعات الإلكترونية .
5 - منع إساءة الاستخدام والاحتيال في التعاملات والتوقيعات الإلكترونية .
This is the official Arabic wording, the only legally binding version. We do not translate the law itself; the explanation below is ours. Official source: Bureau of Experts at the Council of Ministers
Article 2 explained in plain English
This article explains the purpose of the Law: to control and regulate electronic transactions and signatures and to provide a legal framework for them. It lists five objectives:
- Unified rules: establishing unified legal rules for using electronic transactions and signatures and facilitating their application in the public and private sectors through reliable electronic records.
- Confidence: building confidence in the validity and integrity of electronic transactions, signatures and records.
- Facilitation: facilitating their use at home and abroad in all fields, with examples the text mentions including government procedures, commerce, medicine, education and electronic financial payment.
- Removing obstacles to the use of electronic transactions and signatures.
- Preventing misuse and fraud in electronic transactions and signatures.
This article does not create direct rights or obligations, but it helps in understanding and interpreting the rest of the Law's articles in light of these objectives. The scope of the Law and its exceptions are set by Article 3, which applies the Law to electronic transactions and signatures and, as a general rule, excludes personal status transactions and the issuance of deeds for dealings in real estate.
From the definitions in Article 1, electronic transactions means any exchange, correspondence, contracting or procedure carried out wholly or partly by electronic means.
Practical example
An online store in Jeddah sells its products through its website, receives payment electronically and sends invoices by email. These are all electronic transactions that the Law aims to regulate and build confidence in, so that the store and its customers can be assured that what is done electronically has a clear legal framework.
Translated from our Arabic explanation with machine assistance. For guidance only; it does not replace advice from a lawyer on your situation.
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Frequently asked questions about Article 2 of the Saudi Electronic Transactions Law
What is the purpose of the Electronic Transactions Law?
To control and regulate electronic transactions and signatures and provide a legal framework for them, achieving unified rules, confidence in them, ease of use, removal of obstacles and prevention of misuse and fraud.
Does the Law cover both the government and private sectors?
Yes. The article provides for facilitating the application of electronic transactions and signatures in the public and private sectors.
Does the Law cover electronic payment?
The article mentions electronic financial payment among the fields in which the Law aims to facilitate the use of electronic transactions and signatures.
More articles on Scope of the Electronic Transactions Law
- Article 1
The article defines the key terms used in the Electronic Transactions Law, such as electronic record, electronic signature, digital certification certificate and certification services provider.
يقصد بالألفاظ والعبارات الآتية -أينما وردت في هذا النظام- المعاني المبينة أمام كل منها، ما لم يقتض السياق خلاف ذلك: 1 - الوزارة : وزارة الاتصالات وتقنية المعلوم
- Article 3
The article defines the Law's scope: it applies to electronic transactions and signatures and excludes personal status transactions and the issuance of deeds for real estate dealings, unless the responsible authority allows them to be carried out electronically.
يسري هذا النظام على التعاملات والتوقيعات الإلكترونية ، ويستثنى من أحكامه ما يلي: 1 - التعاملات المتعلقة بالأحوال الشخصية. 2 - إصدار الصكوك المتعلقة بالتصرفات ال
- Article 4
The Law does not oblige anyone to deal electronically without their express or implied consent, but a government body's consent must be express, and additional conditions may be set that do not conflict with the Law.
1- لا يلزم هذا النظام أي شخص بالتعامل الإلكتروني دون موافقته، ويمكن أن تكون هذه الموافقة صريحة أو ضمنية. 2- استثناء من الحكم الوارد من الفقرة (1) من هذه المادة،
- Article 28
Applying the Electronic Transactions Law does not prejudice the provisions of related laws, especially intellectual property rights and the relevant international agreements to which the Kingdom is a party.
لا يخل تطبيق هذا النظام بالأحكام الواردة في الأنظمة ذات العلاقة، وخاصة ما يتعلق بحقوق الملكية الفكرية والاتفاقيات الدولية ذات الصلة التي تكون المملكة طرفا فيها.
- Article 30
The Minister of Communications and Information Technology issues the Law's Implementing Regulations on the Authority's proposal within 120 days of the date the Law was issued.
يصدر الوزير اللائحة لهذا النظام، بناء على اقتراح من الهيئة وذلك خلال (مائة وعشرين) يوما من تاريخ صدور النظام.
- Article 31
The Electronic Transactions Law takes effect 120 days after the date of its publication in the Official Gazette.
يعمل بهذا النظام بعد (مائة وعشرين) يوما من تاريخ نشره في الجريدة الرسمية.
The texts are reproduced from the official website of the Bureau of Experts at the Council of Ministers for reference; where they differ, the officially published Arabic text prevails. This content is not legal advice.