OPEC+ Keeps Current Oil Output Policy Unchanged

A model of oil rigs in front of the OPEC logo (Reuters)
A model of oil rigs in front of the OPEC logo (Reuters)
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OPEC+ Keeps Current Oil Output Policy Unchanged

A model of oil rigs in front of the OPEC logo (Reuters)
A model of oil rigs in front of the OPEC logo (Reuters)

A meeting of top OPEC+ ministers has kept oil output policy unchanged including a plan to start raising output from December.

On Wednesday, the Joint Ministerial Monitoring Committee (JMMC) emphasized in a statement the critical importance of achieving full conformity and compensation after it reviewed the crude oil production data for the months of July and August 2024 and current market conditions.

It stated that Iraq, Kazakhstan, and Russia confirmed that they had achieved full conformity and compensation according to the schedules submitted for September.

The three countries also reiterated their strong commitment to maintaining full conformity and compensation throughout the remaining period of the agreement.

The JMMC then emphasized it will continue to monitor adherence to the production adjustments and will also continue to monitor the additional voluntary production adjustments announced by some participating OPEC and non OPEC countries.

The next meeting of the JMMC (57th) is scheduled for December 1, 2024.

The JMMC usually meets every two months and can make recommendations to change policy.

OPEC+ is currently cutting output by a total of 5.86 million barrels per day (bpd), or about 5.7% of global demand, in a series of steps agreed since late 2022.

Its latest agreement calls for OPEC+ to raise output by 180,000 bpd in December, part of a plan to gradually unwind its most recent layer of voluntary cuts during 2025. The hike was delayed from October after prices slid.

Speaking hours before the planned virtual meeting of an OPEC+ committee, United Arab Emirates Energy Minister Suhail al-Mazrouei said on Wednesday OPEC+ was doing a noble job of balancing the oil market even if does not produce the majority of oil in the world.

“OPEC+ has sacrificed more than others but the critical element is that it is staying together,” Mazrouei said at an industry event in the emirate of Fujairah.

“I would like you to imagine the world without this group. We would be in chaos,” Mazrouei said.



Saudi Government Considers Establishing Comprehensive Economic Platform for Business Sector

The Saudi Business Center (Asharq Al-Awsat)
The Saudi Business Center (Asharq Al-Awsat)
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Saudi Government Considers Establishing Comprehensive Economic Platform for Business Sector

The Saudi Business Center (Asharq Al-Awsat)
The Saudi Business Center (Asharq Al-Awsat)

The Saudi government has instructed the Saudi Business Center to collaborate with the Ministries of Commerce and Investment and the Saudi Authority for Intellectual Property to explore the potential for establishing a unified economic platform to serve all business sectors in the Kingdom.
This initiative aligns with the center's mandate, which includes streamlining business operations such as launching, managing, and closing businesses while providing relevant services according to international best practices.
The Saudi Business Center is focused on creating an environment that attracts businesses and boosts competitiveness, investment, and growth. It aims to position Saudi Arabia among the top ten countries globally in terms of quality, efficiency, and ease of government services provided to the business sector.
The Cabinet has recently approved the Commercial Register System, which consists of 29 articles and aims to simplify business procedures, ensure the accuracy of data, and make it accessible for easy reference. Key improvements include establishing a central electronic database for trader information and outlining clear registration procedures.
Businesses are given a five-year period to rectify existing branch records. This can be done by transferring the branch record to another party as a primary record, converting it into a new company, or canceling the branch record and transferring its assets to the main register.
Moreover, the system mandates that businesses open bank accounts linked to their operations, enhancing trust and transparency in their transactions. It also removes the requirement to renew the commercial register and instead introduces an annual electronic confirmation of the register's data. Failure to comply within three months results in suspension, and after a year of suspension, the register will be automatically canceled.
The system also includes alternative measures for handling violations, such as issuing warnings and requiring businesses to correct any infractions. These reforms are expected to streamline business operations and enhance the ease of doing business in Saudi Arabia.