Khaberni - The government, through the Meteorological Services Bill of 2025, has limited the provision of meteorological services linked to the national security system to "only specified entities" with scientific and practical experience in the field, after Article 9 of the bill stipulated not allowing any other entity to provide these services without obtaining a license issued under a special system.
This regulatory tightening aims to control the accuracy of sensitive weather information and ensure the safety of air and maritime navigation, military operations, and early warning systems.
Article 9 of the bill states that "no other entity may provide meteorological services related to the national security system such as civilian and military air navigation, maritime navigation, issuance of weather bulletins, warnings, alerts, weather forecasting, monitoring of weather elements, and all types of atmospheric phenomena unless a license, which is issued under a special system, is obtained."
Last week, the government approved the justifications for the Meteorological Services Bill, to regulate the weather forecasting process and issuance of related bulletins, in the absence of a regulating legislation, which led to the spread of weather forecasts from unqualified entities conflicting with the information and warnings issued by the competent authorities, according to best practices.
The amendments also aim to improve the weather forecasting process, enhance its credibility, and restrict it to the competent authorities with the needed scientific and practical expertise in this field, contributing to the support of official efforts and integrating with them, and supporting the early warning system in the kingdom, improving readiness procedures for any emergencies resulting from weather conditions.
The bill reflects a clear governmental direction towards a comprehensive regulation of the meteorological sector, through a precise definition of tasks and work areas, and specifying the administration under the Ministry of Transport as the official competent authority and the national reference accredited in the kingdom for issuing weather bulletins and general warnings.
The project stipulates that the administration will operate the weather monitoring network, issue daily bulletins and warnings, manage the national climatic record, and provide meteorological services to official and private entities.
The project also includes establishing technical standards for monitoring stations and devices, supervising private sector monitoring centers to ensure compliance with international standards, in addition to establishing a training center for monitoring and weather forecasting to qualify national and regional cadres and enhance scientific research capabilities.
The bill also regulates the nature of weather data, classifying it into open data available for free, data offered for a fee, and restricted data related to security and safety, with granting specialized employees judicial police status to verify compliance with the provisions.
Subsequently; a draft of the Meteorological Services Bill, published in the Legislation and Opinion Bureau
Meteorological Services Law No. () for the year 2025
______________________________________
Chapter One: General Provisions
Article 1- This law shall be called (Meteorological Services Law for 2025) and shall come into force from the date of its publication in the Official Gazette.
Article 2- Definitions
The following words and terms wherever mentioned in this law shall have the meanings indicated next to them unless the context indicates otherwise:
The Ministry: Ministry of Transport.
The Minister: Minister of Transport.
The Administration: Meteorological Administration in the ministry.
Meteorological: The science concerned with studying the atmosphere and its movements including related effects on the layer of air surrounding the land and water surfaces, and conducting the monitoring or observation or forecasting of weather, climate, and atmospheric and maritime phenomena.
Weather: The state of the atmosphere in a particular place for a short period of time.
Climate: The average state of the atmosphere in a particular place over a long period of time.
Weather monitoring: The process of monitoring, following, observing, measuring, or estimating one or more weather elements and issuing reports thereof.
Weather station: A site designated for monitoring weather elements, climate, and atmospheric phenomena.
Weather bulletin: An official report issued by the administration regarding the expected weather condition.
Early warning: The alert or warning issued by the administration regarding the occurrence of dangerous atmospheric phenomena.
Dangerous atmospheric phenomena: Weather or climatic events characterized by unusual severity, such as: storms, floods, heatwaves, frost, sandstorms, or snowstorms.
Meteorological data: Records, information, reports, and bulletins related to weather and climate.
Meteorological services: Any service or product provided by the administration (weather bulletins, data, consultations, maps, training).
Fees: The financial consideration collected in return for meteorological services.
Training center for monitoring and weather forecasting: A center affiliated with the administration specializing in training and scientific research in the field of meteorology.
Article 3- The administration is the official authority competent in meteorology in the kingdom, and is considered the accredited national reference in this field.
Chapter Two: Objectives and Tasks
Article 4- This law aims to:
Regulate the meteorological sector and ensure the accuracy of bulletins and warnings.
Contribute to the protection of lives, properties, and economic activities.
Support sustainable development through meteorological services.
Comply with the international standards issued by the World Meteorological Organization (WMO).
Article 5- The administration specializes in the following:
Operating and maintaining a national network for weather and climate monitoring.
Issuing daily weather bulletins and early warnings.
Maintaining and managing the national climate archive.
Providing meteorological services to official and private entities.
Conducting studies and scientific research in the field of meteorology and climate.
Cooperating with international and regional organizations specializing in meteorology.
Coordinating with national entities in emergency and disaster situations.
Article 6- Additional competencies of the administration
In addition to the tasks specified in this law, the administration specializes in the following:
1. Adopting technical specifications for meteorological devices and stations and their periodic calibration to ensure data accuracy and measurement correctness.
2. Supervising the activities of private stations and monitoring centers belonging to the private sector or civil society institutions to ensure their compliance with technical specifications and international standards.
3. Preparing and issuing "the national climatic record" and maintaining official climate data of the kingdom, updating it periodically, and making it available to relevant entities.
Chapter Three: Training Center for Monitoring and Weather Forecasting.
Article 7- As part of the administration's structure, a center shall be established called (Training Center for Monitoring and Weather Forecasting), which shall undertake the following tasks:
Training and qualifying national and regional cadres.
Preparing training programs according to international standards.
Cooperating with universities and research centers.
Conducting applied studies and scientific research.
Organizing workshops and specialized courses.
Chapter Four: Bulletins and Services
Article 8- The administration is the only national reference for weather bulletins and general warnings.
Article 9- No other entity may provide meteorological services related to the national security system such as civil and military air navigation, maritime navigation, issuance of weather bulletins, warnings, alerts, weather forecasting, monitoring of weather elements, and all types of atmospheric phenomena unless a license, which is issued under a special system, is obtained.
Article 10- Data and meteorological services are classified into:
Open data available for free.
Data provided for a fee.
Data restricted related to security and safety.
Article 11- Details for classifying data and services and mechanisms for their access shall be determined by regulations issued by the Council of Ministers.
Chapter Five: Financial Resources
Article 12- The financial resources related to the work of meteorological services consist of:
The allocations earmarked for it in the general budget of the administration.
Fees collected for the services provided by the administration.
Grants and donations approved by the Council of Ministers.
Chapter Six: Supervision and Penalties
Article 13- Officials designated by the minister are granted judicial police status to verify compliance with the provisions of this law.
Article 14- A special system will determine penalties and sanctions resulting from:
Issuing misleading or unlicensed weather bulletins or warnings.
Disrupting or damaging meteorological stations.
Violating meteorological services licensing conditions.
Chapter Seven: Final Provisions
Article 15- International Representation and Agreements
The administration shall:
1. Represent the kingdom in international and regional organizations and bodies specializing in meteorological and climate affairs.
2. Monitor the kingdom’s commitments in international treaties and agreements in the field of meteorology and climate, in coordination with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriate Affairs and related national entities.
3. Propose joining international agreements or concluding memorandums of understanding with countries and organizations specializing in this field, in accordance with effective legislations.
Article 16- The Council of Ministers shall issue the regulations necessary to implement the provisions of this law, including:
Meteorological services licensing system.
Meteorological services fee system.
Violations and penalties system.
Article 17- Any provision that conflicts with the provisions of this law is hereby repealed.
Article 18- The Prime Minister and ministers are charged with implementing the provisions of this law.
