Latest news with #CivilAviationLaw
Jordan Times
14-04-2025
- Business
- Jordan Times
Lower House passes laws on electricity, civil aviation, women's affairs, virtual assets
AMMAN — The Lower House on Monday passed the 2025 electricity draft law, introducing stricter penalties aimed at curbing violations and unauthorised use of the national electricity system. Under the new legislation, individuals found guilty of illegal electricity connections or aiding in theft of power will face prison terms ranging from one to three years, in addition to fines between JD5,000 and JD10,000, Al Mamlaka TV reported. The law also stipulates fines of JD500 to JD1,000 for encroachments on designated electrical easement zones, with increased penalties for repeat offenders. Property owners will be held accountable for such violations unless they can provide evidence implicating a third party. A new provision criminalises the unauthorised storage of energy beyond limits set by the Energy and Minerals Regulatory Commission (EMRC), with violators facing one to three years in prison or fines between JD100,000 and JD200,000. Additionally, tampering with or removing seals from electricity meters or switches installed by licensed distributors, when done with intent to steal electricity, will carry penalties of one to two years' imprisonment and fines ranging from JD2,000 to JD7,000. The law aims to protect the integrity of the national grid and reduce electricity theft, which continues to pose a significant challenge to Jordan's energy sector. The Lower House on Monday also approved the 2024 draft public statistics law and the 2025 amendments to the Civil Aviation Law, endorsing changes introduced by the Senate earlier this month. One of the key amendments to the Public Statistics Law grants non-governmental organisations the right to conduct and publish statistical studies for their own purposes, or on behalf of others, provided they obtain prior written approval from the Department of Statistics. The Lower House ratified this provision as part of the revised bill. During their deliberations, lawmakers also recommended that the government adopt clear definitions of statistical concepts to better delineate the roles of key institutions involved in data governance, including the Department of Statistics, the National Information Centre, and the Ministry of Digital Economy and Entrepreneurship. The Public Statistics Law forms a key component of Jordan's broader economic modernisation agenda. It seeks to enhance data collection through administrative records and modern technologies while establishing a national data centre to support evidence-based decision-making with secure, high-quality and accessible information. MPs approved the amended Civil Aviation Law, which grants the Civil Aviation Regulatory Commission (CARC) sole authority to approve or reject land-use plans in and around airports, a power the Lower House had initially proposed be subject to Cabinet oversight. The House also accepted a Senate-endorsed article stipulating that all CARC-issued documents, including licences, certificates, permits, and reports, whether in electronic or paper format, are to be recognised as official. The revised law also aims to bolster institutional governance, clarify regulatory mandates, improve aviation safety protocols, and facilitate international aircraft leasing arrangements. It also ensures that investigations into aviation incidents are conducted independently. The Lower House also approved the 2024 draft law on the National Committee for Women's Affairs, formalising the body's mandate through a 13-article legal framework that ensures its sustainability, independence, and coordination with both government entities and civil society organisations. Established in 1992, the committee plays a key role in advancing the political, economic, and social empowerment of women across the Kingdom. During the session, Speaker Ahmad Safadi and Minister of State Ahmad Owaidi Abbadi commended the Legal Committee for its efforts in refining the draft. He also emphasised the importance of clarifying that senior appointments to the committee are made through a Royal Decree. The Chamber also referred the 2025 draft law on the regulation of virtual assets to the Parliamentary Committee for the Digital Economy. The proposed legislation seeks to regulate virtual asset activities, define licensing standards, and align with international norms on anti-money laundering and counter-terrorism financing. It also outlines the supervisory role of the Jordan Securities Commission over service providers, with the aim of maintaining financial stability while fostering technological innovation. Page 2
Jordan News
14-04-2025
- Business
- Jordan News
Lower House Approves Senate Amendments to 'Statistics' and 'Civil Aviation' Laws - Jordan News
Lower House Approves Senate Amendments to 'Statistics' and 'Civil Aviation' Laws The House of Representatives approved, by majority vote, the 2024 General Statistics Law and the 2025 Amended Civil Aviation Law, agreeing to the amendments introduced by the Senate on both draft laws. اضافة اعلان This came during a legislative session held on Monday, chaired by Speaker Ahmad Al-Safadi, with members of the government team in attendance. The Senate had returned both bills—the General Statistics Law and the Civil Aviation Law—to the Lower House on April 8 after making several amendments. General Statistics Law One key amendment made by the Senate allows non-governmental entities to conduct studies to market their products or services and collect statistical data for their own use or on behalf of another party, provided they obtain prior written approval from the Director General of the Department of Statistics, according to a special regulation issued for this purpose. This replaces the original government proposal that allowed such studies only under terms set by the Statistics Department. The House also recommended that the government provide clear definitions of key terms such as statistics, data, information, analysis, processing, and data extraction when drafting regulations and guidelines. This aims to clarify the roles of various institutions, such as the Department of Statistics, the National Information Center, the Ministry of Digital Economy, and private sector institutions. The justifications for the new General Statistics Law align with the executive program of the Economic Modernization Vision and the Public Sector Modernization Roadmap, aiming to diversify sources of statistical data by relying more on administrative records from ministries, government institutions, and the private sector. The law also seeks to improve efficiency by using non-traditional data collection methods. Other goals include: Providing a comprehensive statistical database across economic, demographic, and social sectors; Supporting decision-makers and meeting data users' needs; Establishing an interactive National Data Center for collecting, processing, analyzing, producing, and publishing data and information; Allowing broader access to electronic data while ensuring information security and the confidentiality of individual responses; Strengthening the role of official statistics as a key tool for both governments and citizens; Reflecting the true state of society and the economy through standardized methodologies aligned with global statistical standards; Creating statistical units in ministries and official institutions to support national efforts and assist the Department of Statistics in its mission. Amended Civil Aviation Law The Senate's amendments grant the Civil Aviation Regulatory Commission (CARC) the authority to approve or reject land use within airports and surrounding areas that could impact the safety and security of civil aviation operations. This replaces a previous clause requiring Cabinet recommendation for such decisions, as proposed by the Lower House. The Senate also reinstated Article 18, which had been deleted by the House. The article classifies all documents issued by the CARC—including licenses, certificates, accreditations, communications, and reports—as official documents, whether issued in paper or electronic form. The objectives of the amended Civil Aviation Law include: Strengthening institutional governance by defining the roles of the Commission's Board of Commissioners and enhancing the powers of the executive branch; Allowing the state of registration to delegate some or all of its responsibilities related to an aircraft under a lease or operational agreement to the state of operation, and exempting the registration state from transferred duties; Regulating the preparation of the National Civil Aviation Security Program, including who is responsible for its development and approval; Reorganizing the process of investigating aviation accidents and serious incidents to ensure the independence of investigations.
Zawya
07-04-2025
- Business
- Zawya
GACA grants air operator certificate to Riyadh Air, paving the way for launch of commercial flights
Riyadh -- In the presence of Minister of Transport and Logistic Services and Chairman of the Board of Directors of the General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA) Eng. Saleh bin Nasser Al-Jasser, President of GACA Abdulaziz bin Abdullah Al-Duailej today handed over the Air Operator Certificate (AOC) to Chief Executive Officer of Riyadh Air Tony Douglas, officially authorizing the new national carrier to commence scheduled flights to and from airports across the Kingdom. The issuance of the certificate follows Riyadh Air's successful fulfillment of all regulatory and operational requirements in accordance with the executive regulations of the Civil Aviation Law, particularly those related to safety, security, and operational quality standards. This milestone reflects GACA's commitment to upholding world-class regulatory practices. The updated AOC marks a significant step toward enhancing the passenger experience and maintaining the highest aviation safety standards. It also supports GACA's broader efforts to create an attractive investment environment and to foster the growth and sustainability of the aviation sector, in line with the goals of the National Aviation Strategy and Saudi Vision 2030. Minister Al-Jasser emphasized that the issuance of the AOC to Riyadh Air represents a foundational pillar of the Kingdom's aviation strategy, which aims to position Saudi Arabia as the Middle East's leading aviation hub by 2030. The strategy includes transforming the Kingdom into a global logistics hub connecting three continents, supporting tourism objectives, and establishing Riyadh as a global gateway and central hub for transportation, trade, and tourism. Riyadh Air plans to operate flights to over 100 international destinations by 2030. The airline has placed orders for more than 132 aircraft and is expected to generate over 200,000 direct and indirect jobs in the aviation sector, contributing an estimated SAR75 billion to the Kingdom's non-oil GDP.
Asharq Al-Awsat
07-04-2025
- Business
- Asharq Al-Awsat
GACA Grants Air Operator Certificate to Riyadh Air, Paving the Way for Launch of Commercial Flights
President of Saudi Arabia's General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA) Abdulaziz bin Abdullah Al-Duailej handed over on Sunday the Air Operator Certificate (AOC) to Chief Executive Officer of Riyadh Air Tony Douglas, officially authorizing the new national carrier to launch scheduled flights to and from airports across the Kingdom. The ceremony was attended by Minister of Transport and Logistic Services and GACA Chairman of the Board of Directors Eng. Saleh bin Nasser Al-Jasser. The issuance of the certificate follows Riyadh Air's successful fulfillment of all regulatory and operational requirements in accordance with the executive regulations of the Civil Aviation Law, particularly those related to safety, security, and operational quality standards, reported the Saudi Press Agency. This milestone reflects GACA's commitment to upholding world-class regulatory practices. The updated AOC marks a significant step toward enhancing the passenger experience and maintaining the highest aviation safety standards. It also supports GACA's broader efforts to create an attractive investment environment and to foster the growth and sustainability of the aviation sector, in line with the goals of the National Aviation Strategy and Saudi Vision 2030. Al-Jasser emphasized that the issuance of the AOC to Riyadh Air represents a foundational pillar of the Kingdom's aviation strategy, which aims to position Saudi Arabia as the Middle East's leading aviation hub by 2030. The strategy includes transforming the Kingdom into a global logistics hub connecting three continents, supporting tourism objectives, and establishing Riyadh as a global gateway and central hub for transportation, trade, and tourism. Riyadh Air plans to operate flights to over 100 international destinations by 2030. The airline has placed orders for more than 132 aircraft and is expected to generate over 200,000 direct and indirect jobs in the aviation sector, contributing an estimated SAR75 billion to the Kingdom's non-oil GDP.
Trade Arabia
25-03-2025
- Business
- Trade Arabia
Saudi GACA reports 147 civil aviation violations in Q1
Saudi Arabia's General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA), represented by the committee responsible for reviewing violations of Civil Aviation Law, released its report for the first quarter of 2025. It detailed the issuance of 147 violations and the imposition of financial penalties exceeding SAR3.8 million ($1.01 million) on entities and individuals found in contravention of the law, its implementing regulations, and instructions issued by GACA. The report indicated two violations against air carriers for non-compliance with the Passenger Name Record (PNR) system and for failure to adhere to competition regulations, totaling SAR15,000 in fines. Furthermore, 63 violations were issued against air carriers for failing to verify passengers' required documentation and for non-compliance with approved time slots, resulting in fines exceeding SAR1 million. The committee issued 61 violations against air carriers for non-compliance with the Passenger Rights Protection Regulations, with total fines exceeding SAR2.7 million. Additionally, 21 violations were issued against individual passengers for failing to follow aviation safety instructions and for engaging in disruptive behavior onboard aircraft, with total fines amounting to SAR12,400. These measures underscore GACA's commitment to transparency, its ongoing regulatory and supervisory role in the aviation sector, its dedication to improving the passenger experience, and its focus on enhancing the quality of air transport services in the kingdom.
