Article 2 of the Saudi Standards and Quality Law

This article is short, but it specifies the general purpose of the whole law: setting and defining a general framework for standardization and quality.

What does this mean in practice?

• Standardization, under Article 1, is the set of coordinated activities aimed at adopting or approving a standard and a related document. The law therefore sets the general rules for how standards are prepared, approved, reviewed and withdrawn.
• Quality, under Article 1, is the degree achieved by a set of characteristics based on requirements, expectations or objectives. The law therefore sets a framework for encouraging quality, including the quality mark, which indicates requirements higher than the standards.

The words "general framework" mean that the law draws the main foundations, while the details are left to the regulations issued under it. Article 3 then sets the guiding principles on which standardization relies, such as the participation of the relevant bodies, transparency and non-discrimination between local and imported products.

Understanding this article helps manufacturers, importers and traders realize that the law is essentially about regulating standards and quality, and that any specific obligation on them must be looked for in the other articles or in the regulations. Someone who needs to know the law's effect on his business may consult a lawyer who specializes in commercial cases.