These Terms and Conditions (the "Terms") govern your use of the Sharqia Development Authority services portal and the related applications and e-services (the "Platform"). By using the Platform you acknowledge that you have read and understood these Terms and agree to be bound by them. If you do not agree to any of them, you must stop using the Platform.

1. Definitions

• "The Authority": the Sharqia Development Authority.
• "The Platform": the Authority's e-services portal and its associated interfaces and applications.
• "The User": any natural person, or representative of an establishment, who uses the Platform, whether as a visitor or a registered user.
• "The Services": all services provided through the Platform, including the submission of requests, studies and qualification applications, and the management of committees and meetings.

2. Eligibility and Account Registration

• You must have full legal capacity in order to use the Services.
• Users' identities are verified through the national "Nafath" service. By using Nafath you are also subject to its own terms.
• The User undertakes to provide correct, accurate and up-to-date data, and bears full responsibility for its accuracy.
• Creating an account on behalf of an entity without holding the legal authority to represent it is prohibited.

3. Permitted and Prohibited Use

You agree to use the Platform only for lawful purposes related to the services provided. The following are prohibited, by way of example and not limitation:

• Impersonating others or providing misleading or falsified data.
• Attempting unauthorised access to accounts, systems or data.
• Using automated extraction tools ("scraping") or any other means of harvesting data from the Platform without prior written permission.
• Disrupting or obstructing the service, or attempting to circumvent security controls.
• Uploading any content that contravenes the laws in force in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, or that contains malicious software.
• Using the Platform in any manner that may cause harm to the Authority, its users or third parties.

4. Submitting Requests and Studies

• Submitting a request does not guarantee its approval; approval is subject to evaluation by the competent committees and departments in accordance with the applicable criteria.
• The applicant confirms that all data and documents uploaded are correct and meet the requirements, and bears sole responsibility for the consequences of any incorrect data or documents.
• The Authority reserves the right to request additional data or documents, to reject a request, or to cancel it if it later becomes apparent that the requirements have not been met.
• Fees, if any, are subject to the applicable laws and regulations and are disclosed before the request is completed.

5. Intellectual Property

• All intellectual property rights in the Platform and its content (interfaces, texts, logos, software, designs) are owned by or licensed to the Authority and are protected under the applicable laws.
• No content of the Platform may be copied, republished or used commercially without the Authority's prior written permission.
• The User retains the intellectual property rights in the documents they upload to the Platform, but grants the Authority a non-exclusive licence to use and process those documents for purposes connected with delivering the service and exercising the Authority's statutory mandate.

6. User-Uploaded Content

• The User warrants that the content they upload belongs to them or that they hold the necessary permissions to upload it, and that it does not infringe the rights of any third party.
• The Authority is responsible for protecting uploaded content in accordance with the measures set out in the Privacy Policy, and is not responsible for the lawfulness of the content or the accuracy of its data.
• The Authority has the right to remove any content that contravenes these Terms or the applicable laws.

7. Service Availability

• The Authority endeavours to make the Platform continuously available; however, the service is provided on an "as is" and "as available" basis.
• Scheduled or emergency maintenance may be carried out, which may result in a temporary interruption of the service. The Authority will endeavour to give advance notice wherever possible.
• The Authority does not warrant that the Platform will be free of errors or interruption, or that its use will achieve any particular results.

8. Limitation of Liability

To the extent permitted by the laws in force in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the Authority shall not be liable for any indirect or consequential damages or loss of benefit arising from use of the Platform, from the inability to use it, or from any decision taken on the basis of the information published on it. The burden of verifying information before relying on it rests solely with the User.

9. Suspension and Termination of Accounts

The Authority reserves the right to suspend, cancel or restrict access to any account — in whole or in part — where:

• The User breaches any of these Terms.
• There is a reasonable suspicion of unlawful use of the Platform.
• A statutory or judicial directive requires it.
• It is necessary in order to maintain or protect the Platform or its users.

The User may end their use of the Platform at any time by closing their account, subject to the continued effect of obligations arising before termination.

10. External Links and Integrations

The Platform may include links to, or integrations with, third-party services, including for example the "Nafath" identity verification service. Those services are subject to their own terms and policies, and the Authority is not responsible for their content or practices.

11. Governing Law and Jurisdiction

These Terms are governed by and construed in accordance with the laws in force in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The courts of the Kingdom in the Eastern Province shall have jurisdiction over any dispute arising out of these Terms or relating to use of the Platform.

12. Amendment of the Terms

The Authority has the right to amend these Terms at any time. The updated version is published on this page along with a revised "last updated" date, and your continued use of the Platform after publication constitutes your acceptance of the new version. Where material amendments are made, notice will be given through appropriate channels.

13. Contact

For any enquiry relating to these Terms, please contact the Authority through the official channels published on the Platform.