Saudi Shura Council had discussed with the Electricity and Cogeneration Regulatory Authority (ECRA) reports of several media outlets on several subscribers issues on bills issuance, according to the head of Shura’s Economy and Energy Committee.
The Council’s meeting called on ECRA to pave the way for the private sector to invest in the electricity and water industry for better efficiency and cost rationalization. This will allow to control security and safety measures and improve their levels to reduce the number of incidents in the electrical industry.
During a session chaired by Vice-President Abdullah al-Maatani, the Council asked ECRA to ensure that Saudi Electricity Company (SEC) commits to the deadlines for implementing the plan to develop the structure of the electricity and to work on the implementation of the company's restructuring program in accordance with the agreed timetable.
The council stressed the importance of the Commission's commitment to its plans in light with Vision 2030 goals.
The Shura Council also discussed the need to provide the Saudi Railways Organization (SRO) with the necessary number of assistant train drivers and assistant supervisors to ensure the quality of service provided to passengers. This came after the council was briefed by the Committee on Transport, Communications and Information Technology on the members’ comments on the annual report of the SRO.
It is necessary to provide the Organization with needed funds to go through with the institution's projects, especially those linked to security and safety aspects, service development, and enhance the economic efficiency of railway projects by attracting international investments.
The council agreed on the e-commerce project after listening to the Economy and Energy Committee’s views on the draft system. In its decision, the Council called on the Ministry of Trade and Investment to coordinate with the General Authority for Customs to establish a mechanism to regulate requests to clear personal shipments sent from foreign suppliers directly to consumers, in a manner that meets requirements set by the authorities and consumer protection and without harming local investors.
The bill consists of 28 articles and aims to regulate e-commerce issues, both for service providers and consumers and for its personal electronic data, as well as provisions on e-contracts, electronic shops and their documentation.
The meeting also discussed the report of the Committee on Islamic and Judicial Affairs on the annual report of the General Presidency for the Holy Mosque and the Prophet's Mosque.
Also, the Council approved a draft memorandum of understanding, which was signed in Riyadh on January 18, in the field of customs cooperation between the Ministry of Finance in Saudi Arabia and the Iraqi Ministry of Finance.
