Amman, May 17 (Petra) -- The Cabinet on Sunday approved a series of decisions aimed at improving food security, streamlining public administration, strengthening the investment climate, and advancing infrastructure projects, including the merger of the Civil Service Consumer Corporation with the Military Consumer Establishment.

At a session chaired by Prime Minister Jaafar Hassan, the Cabinet approved moving forward with procedures to unify and merge the two consumer corporations to enhance the efficiency of services provided to citizens, improve competitiveness, secure better prices, strengthen the institutions’ ability to deal with inflation and curb rising prices, and reinforce national food security.

To that end, the Cabinet approved the mandating reasons for a draft law to repeal the Civil Consumer Corporation Law of 2026, as a preliminary step toward completing the constitutional procedures required for its enactment.

The decision forms part of a broader vision to consolidate efforts and resources and improve institutional efficiency in the consumer goods and services sector to enhance services and ensure affordable goods for citizens across the kingdom.

The merger is intended to strengthen the institution’s capacity to provide essential commodities and bolster strategic reserves by integrating the logistical and administrative capabilities of both entities. The move is expected to improve procurement, storage and distribution efficiency and generate operational and administrative savings that will enhance the merged institution’s ability to respond to economic developments and local market requirements.

Branches of the two corporations, along with procurement and supply operations, will be integrated under a unified system designed to be more efficient and flexible. The government said this would strengthen the new institution’s competitiveness in the domestic market and enable it to provide goods to citizens at lower prices and with high quality, particularly amid global inflationary pressures.

The government said employees of the Civil Consumer Corporation would retain all employment and financial rights under the proposed legislation. Their job stability will be protected during and after the merger in accordance with Public Sector Human Resources Management Regulation No. 33 of 2024. Employees will be transferred to the civilian employment system of the Military Consumer Establishment under legal and administrative procedures intended to ensure continuity and preserve accumulated expertise.

The decision is also in line with the government’s public-sector modernization program, which seeks to improve institutional performance, unify overlapping functions and services, and achieve greater integration among entities with related mandates to optimize the use of financial and human resources and improve service quality.

The government said the merger supports its efforts to strengthen the national food security framework and ensure the sustainable availability of essential goods in local markets in adequate quantities and at suitable prices through a more capable institution operating under modern management principles.

In a separate decision, the Cabinet approved proceeding with the expansion of the Khirbet es-Samra Wastewater Treatment Plant to increase its treatment capacity by 20 million cubic meters annually by the end of 2030, at a cost of more than $28 million financed by the United States with a contribution from the Water Authority of Jordan.

Following the expansion, the plant’s total treatment capacity will reach 150 million cubic meters of reclaimed water annually for use in irrigating suitable crops such as fodder and forestry trees.

As part of efforts to improve the investment climate, the Cabinet approved amendments to the Investment Environment Regulation for 2026, reaffirming the government’s commitment to facilitating investors’ experience and strengthening Jordan’s business environment.

The amended regulation is part of the executive program of the Economic Modernization Vision and the broader government effort to update the legislative framework governing investment, build confidence in the business environment, and attract investments that create jobs.

The amendments are designed to eliminate overlaps in certain provisions, unify regulatory concepts and provide a clearer technical framework to support investment decisions based on transparent and objective criteria.

The regulation simplifies procedures and shortens the time required to issue licenses and approvals, reducing time-related costs for investors and improving the efficiency and quality of government services.

It also introduces the concept of "licensing as a condition for compliance," a modern regulatory mechanism that allows licenses to be granted in development zones based on an investor’s undertaking to meet all requirements within one year, balancing business facilitation with regulatory compliance and supporting growth in new investment.

The amendments expand eligibility for investment incentives and benefits to include expansion and development projects and increase flexibility in accessing incentives according to investors’ needs, helping create jobs and ensure investment sustainability.

The government said the changes are aimed at attracting high-value investments, particularly in sectors of national priority, and enhancing Jordan’s position as an integrated regional and international investment hub.

The regulation is also expected to improve Jordan’s standing in international indicators related to ease of doing business and investment attractiveness by reducing procedural complexity.

The Cabinet approved amendments to the Railway Services Licensing and Fees Regulation for 2026 to modernize the regulatory framework for the rail sector, improve operational efficiency in line with international standards, and support the gradual expansion of the national railway network.

The amended regulation seeks to balance investment promotion with effective oversight, strengthen operational readiness, regulate the licensing of professions related to the sector, enhance public safety and service quality, and improve data management and regulatory governance.

The Cabinet also approved the Administrative Organization Regulation for the Ministry of Culture for 2026 to modernize the ministry’s structure, clarify responsibilities and streamline cultural centers and programs in order to deliver more comprehensive and effective cultural services and simplify procedures.

In addition, the Cabinet approved the reasons for amending the Administrative Organization Regulation of the Ministry of Social Development for 2026 and referred the draft to the Legislation and Opinion Bureau to complete the required procedures.

The amendments are intended to update the ministry’s organizational structure in line with public-sector standards and strategic management requirements. They include abolishing assistant secretary-general positions; creating three specialized directorates; establishing an Inspection and Compliance Unit; institutionalizing governance over the associations sector through a Support Fund Administration; and creating a Directorate for Governance and Transparency of Associations’ Funds. The amendments also aim to strengthen digital transformation, cybersecurity, decision-making and the separation of human resources from institutional development functions.

The Cabinet likewise approved the mandating reasons for amending the Administrative Organization Regulation of the Integrity and Anti-Corruption Commission for 2026 and referred the draft to the Legislation and Opinion Bureau.

The amendments are intended to reflect the diversity of the commission’s technical responsibilities and the confidential nature of its work, including cases involving engineering, financial analysis and investment. They are designed to enable the commission to enforce compliance with national integrity principles and anti-corruption measures and to accelerate decisive action in this area.

The Cabinet also approved a list of national and international awards whose recipients will qualify for exceptional performance incentives, based on recommendations from the Service and Public Administration Commission (SPAC) and in accordance with the Human Resources Management Regulation and exceptional performance instructions.

Exceptional performance also includes innovative and implemented initiatives that have a measurable impact on improving services and institutional efficiency, support strategic objectives, accelerate work processes through modern technologies, secure patents, or introduce substantial improvements to systems and applications that enhance productivity and service quality.

SPAC will propose and approve the criteria for selecting eligible awards and recommend them to the Cabinet, while continuously updating the list to reflect developments at the national and international levels and ensuring transparency and equal opportunity for employees.

The list covers a broad range of awards in institutional excellence, individual performance development, administrative, financial, technical and leadership fields, as well as specialized sectors including education, health, energy and climate. Eligible awards must be individual in nature, related to the employee’s duties, nationally or internationally recognized, issued by credible organizations, and based on transparent nomination, evaluation and judging procedures. Awards must be held at least once a year, and prior approval is required for participation in competitions that do not involve institutional nomination.

The government said the exceptional performance incentive framework is an effective tool for promoting a culture of achievement and innovation in the public sector by motivating employees, encouraging initiative and continuous development, and fostering positive competition.

This, in turn, is expected to raise productivity, improve job satisfaction and enhance the quality of services delivered to citizens.

The list of approved awards will be published on SPAC website: https://www.spac.gov.jo.

//Petra// AF

17/05/2026 23:11:19