Article 17 of the Saudi Standards and Quality Law
المادة 17 من نظام المواصفات والجودة · الباب الخامس: الجودة
The quality mark certificate is granted under the regulations; using or advertising the mark without it is prohibited, and holders must follow the conditions and stop using it when the license ends.
Official text (Arabic)
This article has not been amended since the law was issued.
1- تُمنح شهادة علامة الجودة والعلامات الأخرى الصادرة من الهيئة، وفقًا للإجراءات والشروط المنصوص عليها في اللوائح ذات الصلة.
2- لا يُسمح لأي شخص باستخدام علامة الجودة والعلامات الأخرى الصادرة عن الهيئة أو الإعلان عنها إذا لم يُمنح حق استخدامها بموجب الشهادة المشار إليها في الفقرة (1) من هذه المادة.
3- يجب على من حصل على الحق في استخدام علامة الجودة والعلامات الأخرى الصادرة عن الهيئة القيام بالآتي:
أ- الامتثال لشروط الاستخدام المنصوص عليها في اللوائح ذات الصلة.
ب-التوقف عن استخدام علامة الجودة والعلامات الأخرى الصادرة عن الهيئة حال انتهاء الترخيص له باستخدامها.
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 17 explained in plain English
This is one of the most important articles of the law for traders and manufacturers who want to highlight the quality of their products. The quality mark, under Article 1, is a mark indicating that the product's characteristics meet technically higher requirements than those of the standards, or meet other requirements set by the Authority.
1. Granting the certificate: the quality mark certificate and the other marks issued by the Authority are granted under the procedures and conditions provided in the relevant regulations. The law itself does not set the conditions for granting, but refers to the regulations.
2. Ban on use without a certificate: no person is allowed to use the quality mark or the other marks issued by the Authority, or to advertise them, if he has not been granted the right to use them under the certificate. Even advertising that a product bears the mark is prohibited without a certificate.
3. Obligations of the person who obtained the right:
- Comply with the conditions of use provided in the relevant regulations.
- Stop using the mark when the license to use it ends.
Practical effect: anyone who puts the quality mark on his product or in his advertisements without a certificate, or continues to use it after his license ends, or breaches the conditions of use, violates this article. The provision covers the other marks issued by the Authority, not just the quality mark.
Someone who wishes to obtain the mark or faces a violation concerning it may consult a lawyer who specializes in commercial or administrative cases.
Practical example
A bottled water plant in Taif held a quality mark certificate, then its license ended and it did not renew it, but it kept printing the mark on its bottles and in its advertisements. Under the article, it had to stop using the mark when the license ended, and its continuing to do so is a violation of the article's provisions.
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 17 of the Saudi Standards and Quality Law
May the quality mark be used without a certificate?
No. No person is allowed to use the quality mark or advertise it if he has not been granted the right to use it under the certificate.
What must I do when my quality mark license ends?
You must stop using the quality mark and the other marks issued by the Authority when the license ends.
What are the conditions for obtaining the quality mark?
The certificate is granted under the procedures and conditions provided in the relevant regulations; the law itself does not set them.
More articles on Quality Mark
- Article 14
The Authority is to prepare a national quality strategy in coordination with relevant bodies, submit it for approval under legal procedures, and supervise its implementation once approved.
تقوم الهيئة بإعداد استراتيجية وطنية للجودة بالتنسيق مع الجهات ذات العلاقة، والرفع بها لاعتمادها وفقاً للإجراءات النظامية، والإشراف على تنفيذها بعد اعتمادها.
- Article 15
The Authority's board of directors adopts and approves the standards, regulations and related documents that set quality specifications for products and services.
يتبنى المجلس ويعتمد المواصفة واللوائح والوثيقة ذات الصلة التي تحدد مواصفات الجودة للمنتج والخدمة.
- Article 16
The Authority may launch competitions and take initiatives on quality in order to improve the quality of products and services in Saudi Arabia.
يجوز للهيئة إطلاق مسابقات واتخاذ مبادرات في شأن الجودة؛ بهدف تحسين جودة المنتج والخدمة في المملكة العربية السعودية.
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.