Tag: Saudi Arabia

  • RELX Trains Saudi Officials to Help Fight Illicit Trade

    RELX Trains Saudi Officials to Help Fight Illicit Trade

    Credit: Negro Elkha

    RELX International concluded a training session with Saudi Customs Authority and Saudi Authority for Intellectual Property officials on May 25. The training aimed to complement Saudi officials’ efforts in fighting the illicit trade of contraband and counterfeit e-cigarettes in the kingdom.

    The training covered several key aspects: discerning legal products from illegal ones; raising awareness and educating people about the consequences of the illegal trade of e-cigarettes; sharing research and intelligence on identifying illegal trading activities; collaborating with government officials to track and confiscate counterfeit products; and developing and implementing product authentication, tracking and tracing technologies. To facilitate the effectiveness of the training, RELX International collaborated with leading intellectual property firm SABA IP.

    As part of RELX’s ongoing commitment to protecting the rights of legal e-cigarette users, and fighting the illicit trade if e-cigarettes under the Golden Shield Program, additional training sessions are planned in the United Arab Emirates, Egypt and Jordan.

    “As a responsible company, RELX frequently works with local authorities, investigation firms and e-commerce platforms to identify and remove contraband and counterfeit e-cigarette products from the market as part of the RELX Pledge,” said Robert Naouss, external affairs director, MENA & Europe at RELX International, in a statement.

    “We are pleased to have been able to complete an in-depth training session with relevant Saudi authorities and applaud their tireless commitment to ensuring consumers in Saudi Arabia have access to authentic and reliable e-cigarette products at fair prices.”

    RELX established the Golden Shield Program in August 2019 to help prevent the production and sale of the illicit goods. Since its establishment, the initiative has helped remove more than 550,000 fake products from the market, as well as over 77,000 websites.

  • RELX Announces Distribution Partnership in Saudi Arabia

    RELX Announces Distribution Partnership in Saudi Arabia

    Photo: viperagp

    RELX International has announced a partnership with SAF Trading Agencies for the exclusive distribution of RELX products throughout the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

    “This is an incredibly important partnership for RELX International, and we’re thrilled to be working with SAF Trading Agencies who will leverage their extensive KSA distribution network to make the brand widely available nationwide for our adult consumers,” said Fouad Barakat, general manager, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Kuwait & Algeria at RELX in a statement.

    “Our aim is to drive awareness and sales, as well as our corporate messaging to our target audience, adult smokers who would otherwise continue smoking, across the region.”

    Since its establishment in the late 1980s, SAF Trading Agencies has grown into an extensive group of companies covering a diversified range of activities and markets including pharmaceuticals, e-cigarettes and food production.

    According to RELX, the Middle East and North Africa region is one of the vapor business’ fastest growing markets, expanding at a rate just short of 10 percent until 2024.

  • RELX Launches Infinity, Nano2 Vapes in Saudi Arabia

    RELX Launches Infinity, Nano2 Vapes in Saudi Arabia

    RELX International announced it has launched two e-cigarette products in Saudi Arabia. The move expands the vaping manufacturer’s Middle East presence where products are already available in the United Arab Emirates and Kuwait. The company also announced it plans to expand into the wider Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region this year.

    Saudi Arabia recently announced new regulations, similar to Europe’s TPD, following the EU standard for e-cigarette packaging and labeling which was introduced in Sept. 2020.

    “The MENA region is one of our category’s fastest growing markets, growing at a rate just short of 10 percent until 2024,” said Fouad Barakat, KSA general manager at RELX International. “Saudi Arabia is one of the region’s largest and most prosperous markets, hence the need for any brand to launch there if it wants to thrive and grow bigger.”

    The company introduced two products into the Saudi Arabian market. Both the RELX Infinity and Nano2 devices are available. The Infinity, RELX’s flagship product, comes with wireless charging and clicks into place with a built-in pogo pin. The charging case delivers up to three full charges with its dual system in just 45 minutes, according to RELX.

    The Nano2 is a disposable device which features a user-friendly design. “The RELX Nano2 offers RELX’s quality and technology standards at the lowest price point,” a release states. “This device is perfect if you’re a first-time e-cigarette user or if you’re looking for a compact and discreet vape pen.”

  • Saudi Arabia Ends Unlicensed Imports of E-cigarettes

    Saudi Arabia Ends Unlicensed Imports of E-cigarettes

    Credit: Yasmine Arfaoui

    Saudi Customs have banned the import of shisha, e-cigarettes and all vapor accessories through shipping companies and individuals’ websites.

    In the event that they are imported, they would be confiscated, a fine imposed, and a record of seizure will be registered. Companies licensed by the Saudi Food and Drug Authority (SFDA) are allowed to import such products in commercial quantities, according to an article posted on albawaba.com.

    Saudi Customs also announced three avenues that enable a licensed importer to claim a refund of customs duties. “Re-exporting foreign goods abroad, goods that had a material error, technical errors or errors in evaluation; and goods for which an industrial exemption decision was issued”, via the portal “Faseh.”

    According to the mechanisms for exempting goods returned for export abroad, Saudi Customs have stipulated five reasons for reimbursement of their duties. “Re-exporting them within a calendar year from the date of payment of customs duties, the claim for refund of customs duties is made within six months from the date of re-export, the goods should be from one consignment, it should not be used locally, the value of the taxes levied is not less than SR18,750 ($5,000), and the exporter is also the importer or any other person when it is proven to the Saudi Customs that he has purchased them.”

    The owners of the goods in which a material error, technical errors, or errors in the evaluation occurred, will be able to apply for the refund of customs duties by “obsolescence”. Saudi Customs confirmed that the application for refund of customs duties for goods for which an industrial exemption decision has been issued requires that “the unified importer’s number in the customs declaration is identical with the unified importer’s number mentioned in the exemption decision.”