Article 18 of the Saudi Shura Council Law
المادة 18 من نظام مجلس الشورى
Article 18 provides that laws, treaties, international agreements and concessions are issued and amended by royal decrees after the Shura Council has studied them.
Official text (Arabic)
This article has not been amended since the law was issued.
تصدر الأنظمة، والمعاهدات، والاتفاقيات الدولية، والامتيازات، وتعدل، بموجب مراسيم ملكية بعد دراستها من مجلس الشورى.
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 18 explained in plain English
This article sets the instrument by which laws are issued, as well as treaties and the like, and the place of the Shura Council in that.
The article covers four kinds:
- Laws.
- Treaties.
- International agreements.
- Concessions.
Its rule is that all of these are issued and amended by royal decrees, and that is after the Shura Council has studied them. The Council's study is a stage that precedes the issue of the royal decree, whether on first issue or on amendment.
This article complements Article 17, which explains that the Shura Council's decisions are submitted to the King, who decides which of them are referred to the Council of Ministers; if the views of the two Councils agree, decisions are issued with the King's approval, and if they differ, the matter is returned to the Shura Council to give what it sees fit and submit it to the King to take what he sees fit.
It is followed by Article 19, which regulates the formation of specialized committees and special committees, the committees needed for the Council to exercise its competences.
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 18 of the Saudi Shura Council Law
By what instrument are laws issued in Saudi Arabia?
They are issued and amended by royal decrees after the Shura Council has studied them.
Do international treaties pass through the Shura Council?
Yes. Treaties and international agreements are issued and amended by royal decrees after the Council has studied them.
More articles on Powers of the Shura Council
- Article 15
Article 15 has the Shura Council give its opinion on general State policies referred by the Prime Minister, and discuss the development plan, study laws and treaties, interpret laws and discuss ministries' reports.
يبدي مجلس الشورى الرأي في السياسات العامة للدولة التي تحال إليه من رئيس مجلس الوزراء، وله على وجه الخصوص ما يلي: أ - مناقشة الخطة العامة للتنمية الاقتصادية والا
- Article 23Amended (1424 AH)
Article 23 lets the Shura Council propose a new draft law or an amendment to a law in force and study it, with the Council's president submitting what the Council decides to the King.
لمجلس الشورى اقتراح مشروع نظام جديد، أو اقتراح تعديل نظام نافذ، ودراسة ذلك في المجلس، وعلى رئيس مجلس الشورى رفع ما يقرره المجلس للملك
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.