Instead of doing our usual monthly digest, we are starting the year 2023 with a reflection on the most significant royal decrees that were issued in the year 2022:
Laws & Amendments
Systems & Amendments
9 Royal Decrees
Even though the long awaited amendment of the Labour Law did not come out in the year 2022, three brand new laws came out this year: The Personal Data Protection Law, the Securities Law, and the Military Judiciary Law. There were also minor amendments to the the Penal Law, the Criminal Procedures Law, the Municipal Councils Law, the Law of Public Notaries, and the Records and Archives Law, the Law of the Administrative Court.
3 Royal Decrees
In recent years, royal decrees started using the term “System” to refer to legal frameworks that govern the operation of government entities. Two new systems came out this year: the System of Governorates and the System of the Oman Chamber of Commerce and Industry. The System of the Administrative Apparatus of the State also had a minor amendment.
Gov Restructuring
Treaties
14 Royal Decrees
3 new government entities were created in 2022: The Royal Academy of Management, the Strategic and Defence Studies Academy, and the Medical City for Military and Security Services. However, the most significant change in the government structure was, without a doubt, the restructuring of the judiciary, which abolished the Administrative Court and put the Public Prosecution under the Supreme Judicial Council.
12 Royal Decrees
Oman ratified a number of bilateral and multilateral treaties in 2022 including a double taxation treaty with Qatar, a bilateral investment treaty with Hungary, a maritime transport agreement with Iran, a security agreement with Bahrain, and an employment agreement with the United States.
Concessions
Licences
15 Royal Decrees
It is common to have petroleum agreements ratified by royal decree in accordance with the Oil and Gas Law, but this had a development as the Ministry of Energy and Minerals started awarding concessions for mining activities by ratifying 12 exploration and mining concession agreements.
2 Royal Decrees
The Telecom Law requires that a royal decree is promulgated for granting certain types of licences, and a licence was granted to Oman Tower Company and another to Oman Technology Infrastructure Company.
Appointments
Nationality
23 Royal Decrees
A great number of royal decrees was issued this year appointing Cabinet members, undersecretaries, ambassadors, and other government officials. The most significant of these is the appointment of HE Salim Al-Aufi as the Minister of Energy and Minerals and the appointment of HE Mohsin Al-Hadhrami as Undersecretary of the Ministry of Energy and Minerals.
11 Royal Decrees
Omani nationality is granted, revoked, and re-instated by royal decree and this had 10 royal decrees in this area.
Misc
98 Decrees
9 Royal Decrees
In addition to the categories detailed above, there were 9 royal decrees regarding miscellaneous, yet important, topics such as a royal decree to establish new free zones in several airports, a royal decree establishing a natural reserve in Musandam, a royal decree declaring public benefit status to a project for the development of mines in Al-Wusta, and a royal decree determining the dates of national holidays.
98 Decrees and Rising
In addition to the 98 royal decrees issued in the year 2022, Decree provides a complete title index of every single royal decree and ministerial decision published in the Official Gazette from 1973 onwards, 500+ royal decrees in full-text, 150+ standalone laws with all their amendments consolidated, 600+ treaties ratified by the Omani government, and a full translation of all the royal decrees and ministerial decisions published in recent issues of the Official Gazette.