Category: Article

Bilateral Investment Treaties, or better known as BITs, are agreements between two countries that set rules for how investors from one country can invest in the other. They are designed to promote and protect foreign investments by creating a stable legal framework that gives investors the confidence when doing business abroad. That framework creates obligations for the host government to treat foreign investors with particular standards, as well as, grant foreign investors the right to bring claims against the host government directly in the case of violations of the treaty.

Oman routinely signs BITs with other countries as part of its strategy for foreign investment and has 30+ agreements with countries such as the UK, Germany, and Japan.

Here are some key investors rights commonly found in BITs:

Oman’s recent enactment of the Law of Special Economic Zones and Free Zones of 2025 marks a significant step toward unifying and enhancing the country’s investment environment. This landmark decree, which repeals the former Free Zones Law of 2022, establishes a unified framework to strengthen Oman’s investment environment and advance Oman Vision 2040. For investors, understanding its new incentives and distinctions is key to unlocking opportunities in the Sultanate of Oman.

This blog post will explore the world of Double Taxation Treaties (DTTs), examining their importance, structure, and intricacies. We will then pivot toward the structure of the treaties signed by the Sultanate of Oman, concluding with a practical example that showcases how these agreements apply in the real world.

Under the Advocacy and Legal Consultancy Law, a person wishing to practice law must register his law office either as an advocacy firm or a legal consultancy firm. This law office is recognised by this law as a civil company that does not fall under any of the types of companies recognised by the Commercial Companies Law. However, the Executive Regulation of the Advocacy and Legal Consultancy Law stipulate in article 77 that in “regard to matters not covered by a special text in this regulation and that do not contradict its nature, the provisions for the one-person company and the limited liability company stipulated in the Commercial Companies Law and its regulation apply to the firm”. This blog post will will delve into the specific nature of how law firms operate as a company and explain the main differences between them and one-person companies and limited liability companies.

Arbitration is a dispute resolution method commonly used by businesses as an alternative to traditional courts. Arbitration clauses are very common in commercial contracts, especially high value contracts critical to business operations. This blog post will highlight some of the key differences between the two pathways:

Industrial property rights are important for all businesses. Oman has one of the most comprehensive legal frameworks for the protection of industrial property rights in the region. Some of these rights, such as patents, trademarks, and trade secrets, are known to everyone. This blog post highlights some of the less known industrial property rights that are protected in Oman.

The Financial Services Authority issued a new Regulation Governing the Rising Companies Market in today’s issue of the Official Gazette. The Rising Companies Market was established earlier this year by royal decree as a market dedicated for supporting the growth of small and medium companies and startups.

Data protection is the legal framework that protects personal data from unauthorised access and uphold individual privacy. The two main instruments governing this area of law in Oman are the Personal Data Protection Law (and its executive regulation) and the Personal Data Protection Policy of the Units of the Administrative Apparatus of the State. While there are similarities between the two, this article will highlight four major differences most people don’t know.

Companies in Oman are governed by the Commercial Companies Law and its regulations, such as the Commercial Companies Regulation. These legal instruments set the foundation for how to establish, operate, and manage companies in the Sultanate of Oman. Among the various legal forms of companies are Limited Liability Companies (LLCs) and Single Person Companies (SPCs), also known as One-Person Companies, which are the most commonly used forms due to the simplicity of the formalities for establishing them and the fact that they both offer their shareholders limited liability. This article will highlight four key distinctions between LLCs and SPCs.

The Omani Labour Law lays out a comprehensive framework that regulates the rights and obligations of employers and employees. Under this law employees are entitled in certain circumstances to different types of leave that are usually given with full pay. In this article, we will highlight 7 of the most commonly used types of leaves under the Labour Law.