المملكة: “Environmental Commitment” adopts new controls… and 15 days to decide on violators’ requests

The National Supervision Center approved Environmental Commitment Controls”” of environmental violations, giving establishments and individuals a corrective period to avoid penalties. Disclosure requires reporting within 30 days of the occurrence of the violation, in accordance with the latest amendments to the ministerial decision.

The decision issued in accordance with the executive regulations for environmental inspection and auditing, as amended by Ministerial Resolution No. “15116190” dated 12 Jumada al-Ula, aims to 1446 AH, to enhance transparency and encourage self-initiative in the environmental sector.

This strategic step seeks to enable violators to correct their situations without delay, which contributes directly to reducing environmental damage and improving overall performance. The Center confirmed in its new controls its right to grant the whistleblower a statutory deadline to correct the violation before imposing any prescribed penalty.

The regulations explicitly stipulate that voluntary disclosure be made before the Center becomes aware of the occurrence of the violation. It should not be The information is available in advance through other channels.

The instructions stressed the necessity of submitting a disclosure request within a period not exceeding 30 days from the date of the occurrence of the environmental violation to ensure the acceptance of the request.

The Center obligated the disclosers to submit correct and complete data, accompanied by a clear action plan explaining the corrective measures to address the affected environmental situation.

The “Environmental Compliance” clarified that the evaluation of the duration of the corrective deadline is subject to There are several precise criteria, most notably the timing of disclosure and the accuracy and reliability of the information and evidence provided. The Center also takes into account the extent of the discloser’s contribution to reducing environmental damage that would have been exacerbated without his rapid reporting initiative.

The operational procedures indicate that the Center’s committees will review the voluntary disclosure request within 15 working days from the date of its receipt, in preparation for informing the discloser of the status of his request. The time limit for correction is determined by an official notice issued by the center, indicating its start and end dates, along with specifying the date of imposing the penalty if the period expires without addressing the defect. The Center warned that rejecting a voluntary disclosure request for not meeting the stipulated requirements will lead to the immediate implementation of the provisions of the environmental system and its regulations on the violator.

At the same time, it pointed out the possibility of simply setting a minimum fine if the violation was disclosed, but the request was rejected for purely procedural reasons.

The final provisions of the controls stressed the principle that granting a corrective grace period and avoiding the statutory penalty does not exempt The violator must pay any form of financial compensation.

These mandatory compensations include the costs of rehabilitation and compensation for damage resulting from the pollution or environmental deterioration caused by the violation at the site.

The National Center reserves its absolute and discretionary right to refuse voluntary disclosure completely if it becomes clear to the competent committees that the violation has caused a serious negative impact on the environment. It also has the right to cancel any exemption or reduction and apply the maximum penalties if it is later proven that misleading information was provided or a failure to implement the approved treatment plan.

The center made it possible to submit disclosure reports through a network of various official channels to facilitate procedures, which included the electronic platform, official mail, and customer service, in addition to personal attendance at branch headquarters. Submitting a report requires filling out a designated form that includes the coordinates of the affected site, and an accurate description of the event, supported by documentary photos and the initial preventive measures that were taken to control the pollution.