SAMA has received the letter of HE the Minister of Finance and National Economy, No. 1093/98 dated 6-3-1398 attached thereto a copy of the Council of Ministers Decision No. 266 dated 21-2-1398, which contained the following provisions:

Instructing all foreign companies and establishments, and their branches, operating in the Kingdom to use Arabic in their correspondence with government authorities.

Any violation shall be subject to a penalty of up to SR 10,000 for each violation, doubled if repeated. In addition to this penalty, the violator may be banned of dealing with the government for one year. A repeated violation is one that occurs within 3 years from the previous final penalty.

The Committee for the Settlement of Commercial Disputes is the competent authority to rule on these violations.

The violation shall be referred by the government agency to the Ministry of Commerce which, in turn, refers it to the Committee for the Settlement of Commercial Disputes through the public attorney.

SAMA calls on you to comply with the above provisions, acknowledge receipt and notify all your branches and offices in the Kingdom to act accordingly.