Article 4 of the Saudi Environment Law
المادة 4 من نظام البيئة · الفصل الأول: أحكام عامة
The article requires every permit holder and license holder to comply with the Law, the regulations, the conditions of the permit or license, and the related instructions and decisions of the competent authority.
Official text (Arabic)
This article has not been amended since the law was issued.
على كل من المصرح له والمرخص له؛ الالتزام بأحكام النظام، واللوائح، وشروط التصريح أو الترخيص، والتعليمات والقرارات -ذات العلاقة- التي تصدرها الجهة المختصة.
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 4 explained in plain English
After Article 3 requires obtaining a permit or license before carrying out environmental activities or activities with an environmental impact, this article makes clear that obtaining the document is not the end of the obligation but its beginning.
The permit holder (who has obtained a permit) and the license holder (who has obtained a license) are bound by four things together:
- The provisions of the Environment Law itself.
- The Implementing Regulations of the Law.
- The conditions of the permit or license granted to him specifically, as each document may contain conditions of its own.
- The related instructions and decisions issued by the competent authority, which under Article 1 is the Ministry, the National Centers of the environment sector, or the General Authority for the Conservation of Coral Reefs and Turtles in the Red Sea, each according to its jurisdiction.
In practice this means the owner of an activity must follow what the competent authority issues in instructions and decisions relating to his activity, and not rely only on the conditions written in his document when it was issued. The article does not state here the effect of breaching these obligations, so no particular penalty can be inferred from it alone. If notes or decisions from the competent authority are directed at your establishment, you can consult a lawyer specialized in environmental laws.
Practical example
An industrial workshop in Dammam obtained an environmental license containing operating conditions. Some time later, the competent authority issued new instructions relating to its activity. Under Article 4 the workshop is bound by these instructions too, in addition to the conditions of its license and the provisions of the Law and regulations.
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 4 of the Saudi Environment Law
Is complying with the conditions of the environmental license alone enough?
No. The article also requires complying with the provisions of the Law and regulations and the related instructions and decisions issued by the competent authority.
Who are the permit holder and the license holder?
The permit holder is a person who has obtained a permit, and the license holder is a person who has obtained a license, under the definitions in Article 1.
Am I bound by the competent authority's instructions issued after I obtained the license?
The article binds the license holder to the related instructions and decisions the competent authority issues, and does not limit them to what was issued before the license was granted.
More articles on Environmental Permits and Licenses
- Article 1
The article defines the terms used in the Environment Law, such as the competent authority, permit, license, environmental impact, wild organisms and vegetation cover lands.
يقصد بالألفاظ والعبارات الآتية -أينما وردت في هذا النظام- المعاني المبينة أمام كل منها، ما لم يقتض السياق غير ذلك: النظام: نظام البيئة. اللوائح: اللوائح التنفيذ
- Article 2
The article states the aims of the Environment Law: protecting, developing and sustaining the environment, complying with environmental principles, and regulating the environment sector and its activities and services.
يهدف النظام إلى حماية البيئة وتنميتها واستدامتها، والالتزام بالمبادئ البيئية، وتنظيم قطاع البيئة والأنشطة والخدمات المتعلقة به.
- Article 3
The article bars anyone from carrying out environmental activities or activities with an environmental impact except after obtaining a permit or license, as the regulations determine.
لا يجوز لأي شخص ممارسة أي من الأنشطة البيئية أو التي لها أثر بيئي؛ إلا بعد الحصول على تصريح أو ترخيص؛ وذلك وفقاً لما تحدده اللوائح.
- Article 5
The article tasks the competent authority with setting the controls for carrying out voluntary programs, plans and initiatives related to the environment.
تضع الجهة المختصة ضوابط تنفيذ البرامج والخطط والمبادرات التطوعية المتعلقة بالبيئة.
- Article 47
The Article lists the matters that the regulations determine, including environmental protection requirements, permits and licenses and their fees, noise pollution, environmental assessment studies and the basis for calculating compensation.
تُحدد اللوائح ما يأتي: 1- الضوابط والإجراءات المتعلقة بتطبيق المبادئ البيئية. 2- الاشتراطات والضوابط والإجراءات والمقاييس والمعايير اللازمة لحماية الأوساط البيئ
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.