Saudi Arabia Proposes Stricter Penalties for Banned and Counterfeit Pesticides

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Saudi Arabia's Ministry of Environment, Water, and Agriculture has proposed a significant update to the GCC Pesticides Law, introducing stricter penalties for the manufacturing or importing of banned or counterfeit pesticides. Under the new draft regulation, violators face a maximum prison sentence of five years and fines reaching up to SR10 million. While the ministry allows for a warning and a grace period for minor infractions that do not cause significant environmental or biological harm, serious or repeated offenses, defined as those occurring within three years of a prior violation, can lead to doubled penalties.

Beyond fines and imprisonment, the regulation empowers authorities to shut down offending facilities temporarily or permanently. Furthermore, the costs associated with the destruction or repatriation of illegal materials must be fully covered by the perpetrator. Although these measures are rigorous, the proposal maintains a system of legal checks, allowing penalized individuals or entities to challenge decisions through the Administrative Court.