Saudi Arabia: Competition Law Aims to Combat Monopolistic Practices

Women shop at a mall in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. (Getty Images)
Women shop at a mall in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. (Getty Images)
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Saudi Arabia: Competition Law Aims to Combat Monopolistic Practices

Women shop at a mall in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. (Getty Images)
Women shop at a mall in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. (Getty Images)

The regulations of the Saudi Competition Law have revealed that it aims to protect and promote fair competition and combat monopolistic practices that affect legal competition and the consumer’s interest.

The regulations guarantee that the services and goods' prices conform to the market rules and free competition concepts.

The law bans the practices – including agreements and deals between establishments – whether written or oral, if the purpose behind them is to harm competition, especially in terms of determining prices of goods, services fees, conditions of selling and purchasing, limiting the inflow of services and products, etc.

The law also forbids any attitude that hinders the entry of an establishment into the market, pushes an establishment out of the market, blocks available products or services wholly or partially from a specific establishment. It also prevents dividing markets for the sake of selling or buying services and products.

Article six of the law includes prohibiting any establishment that dominates the market or part of it from abusing its power to breach or limit competition.

The law bars setting conditions on an establishment to abstain from dealing with another and suspend the selling of a service or product in return for an obligation or services that are not related to the original contract.

The law called on establishments wishing to join the economic concentration to notify the General Authority for Competition at least 90 days before completion in case the annual sales of the establishment surpasses a limit specified by the list.



SAMA Licenses 'Nama United Financing' Company to Provide Finance Activity

SAMA Licenses 'Nama United Financing' Company to Provide Finance Activity
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SAMA Licenses 'Nama United Financing' Company to Provide Finance Activity

SAMA Licenses 'Nama United Financing' Company to Provide Finance Activity

The Saudi Central Bank (SAMA) licensed "Nama United Financing" company to provide real-estate finance, production assets finance, small and medium enterprise finance, finance lease, and consumer finance.

According to SPA, this addition brings the number of finance companies licensed and permitted by SAMA to 64 companies.
This decision reflects SAMA's endeavour to support the Finance sector, increase the efficiency of financial transactions, and promote innovative financial solutions for financial inclusion in Saudi Arabia.
SAMA emphasizes the importance of dealing exclusively with authorized financial institutions. To view licensed and permitted financial institutions, visit SAMA's official website.