Industry ministry says deadline for factories outside industrial cities to expire soon

Logo of the Ministry of Industry and Mineral Resources

Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Industry and Mineral Resources said the deadline granted to factories located outside industrial cities (environmentally classified within the first, second and third categories) to correct their situation is about to expire.

In a statement, the ministry called on such industrial plants to correct their conditions by obtaining the necessary licenses and permits from all relevant authorities.

Through the deadline, the ministry aimed to give the factories located outside the scope of the industrial cities the required time to complete the issuance of permits. This included licenses from the relevant authorities such as the Ministry of Municipal, Rural Affairs and Housing, Civil Defense, Ministry of Environment, Water and Agriculture, and the Food and Drug Authority (for nutritional or medicinal activities).

The factories that do not correct their situation by obtaining the necessary licenses will not be able to benefit from the services of the ministry by the end of this September, the statement said.

In addition, legal measures will be taken against them by the authorities concerned, including transfer to the nearest industrial city or shutdown.

The ministry confirmed that the application of the procedures will continue until the beginning of next year, indicating that it will not issue any industrial license for a new facilities outside the scope of cities, lands, industrial schemes, or cities designated for industrial use, unless they are related to natural raw materials or animal or agricultural production.

It also called on plants located outside the industrial cities and facing challenges in completing some of the necessary licenses to communicate with the ministry through official channels.