Article 7 of the Saudi GCC Unified Customs Law
المادة 7 من نظام قانون الجمارك الموحد لدول مجلس التعاون لدول الخليج العربية · الباب الأول: تعريفات وأحكام عامة
The article provides that the jurisdictions of customs departments and their working hours are determined by a decision of the Minister or the competent authority.
Official text (Arabic)
This article has not been amended since the law was issued.
تحدد اختصاصات الدوائر الجمركية وساعات العمل فيها بقرار من الوزير أو 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 7 explained in plain English
This article deals with two matters concerning every customs department:
- Its jurisdictions, meaning the customs procedures that may be completed in it.
- Its working hours.
Both are determined by a decision of the Minister or the competent authority. According to Article 2, the Minister is the minister to whom the General Directorate of Customs reports, and the competent authority is the authority to which the General Directorate of Customs reports.
This is consistent with the definition of the customs department in Article 2, which is a place in which completing all or some customs procedures is licensed. Not every department is necessarily competent for all procedures, and this article makes determining that a matter for a decision.
The practical importance of this article appears in Article 8, which provides that customs procedures may be carried out only in the competent customs departments as stated in this article, subject to the articles on inspection of goods. Anyone who wants to complete a particular procedure must make sure the department he is heading for is competent for it.
It also connects with Article 6, which provides for establishing and abolishing customs departments by a decision of the Minister or the competent authority.
To assess the position of a particular shipment or transaction, it is advisable to consult a lawyer who specializes in customs and commercial cases.
Practical example
An importer in Dammam wants to complete the procedures for a shipment at a nearby customs department. Under this article and Article 8, he must make sure that the department is competent for this type of procedure under the decision determining its jurisdictions, and check its working hours.
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 7 of the Saudi GCC Unified Customs Law
Who sets the working hours of customs departments?
They are determined by a decision of the Minister or the competent authority.
Is every customs department competent for all procedures?
The jurisdictions of each department are determined by a decision of the Minister or the competent authority, and a department, by its definition, may be licensed to complete all or some procedures.
May procedures be completed in a department that is not competent?
Under Article 8, customs procedures may be carried out only in the competent customs departments, subject to the articles on inspection of goods.
More articles on Customs Law Definitions and Scope
- Article 1
The article sets the name of the Law as the Unified Customs Law of the GCC States, referred to by the word "the Law".
يسمى هذا النظام "القانون" (نظام "قانون" الجمارك الموحد لدول مجلس التعاون لدول الخليج العربية).
- Article 2
The article defines 42 terms in the Unified Customs Law, its explanatory memorandum and its implementing regulations, including the customs department, customs zone, tariff, customs declaration and customs clearance agent.
يكون للكلمات والعبارات التالية حيثما وردت في هذا النظام "القانون" ومذكرته الإيضاحية ولائحته التنفيذية ، المعاني الموضحة أمام كل منها ما لم يقتض السياق معنى آخر
- Article 3
The article provides that the customs law applies to lands under the state's sovereignty and its territorial waters, and allows free zones to be established to which the customs provisions do not apply in whole or in part.
تسري أحكام هذا النظام "القانون" على الأراضي الخاضعة لسيادة الدولة ومياهها الإقليمية، ويجوز أن تنشأ في هذه الأراضي مناطق حرة لا تسري عليها الأحكام الجمركية كليا
- Article 4
The article subjects every item of goods that crosses the customs line, whether entering or leaving, to the provisions of the Unified Customs Law.
تخضع كل بضاعة تجتاز الخط الجمركي في الإدخال أو في الإخراج لأحكام هذا النظام "القانون".
- Article 5
The article provides that the Directorate carries out its work in the customs department and the customs zone, and may exercise its powers across the state's lands and territorial waters under the conditions set in the Law.
تمارس الإدارة عملها في الدائرة الجمركية وفي النطاق الجمركي، ولها أيضا أن تمارس صلاحيتها على امتداد أراضي الدولة ومياهها الإقليمية وذلك ضمن الشروط المحددة في هذا
- Article 6
The article provides that customs departments are established and abolished by a decision of the Minister or the competent authority.
تنشأ الدوائر الجمركية وتلغى بقرار من الوزير أو الجهة المختصة.
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.