On June 20, 2023, His Majesty issued Royal Decree 41/2023, marking the country’s official entry into the General Agreement for Connecting the States of the Cooperation Council for the Arab States of the Gulf to the Railway Project.
Categories
Decree Monthly Digest – June 2023
Decree Monthly Digest is a summary of the most significant legislation issued in the previous month.
ROYAL DECREES
Ten royal decrees were published in June, with the most significant being Royal Decree 40/2023 Promulgating the Law on the Regulation of the Water and Wastewater Sector and Royal Decree 42/2023 Issuing a Licence to Starlink Muscat SPC to Build and Operate a Satellite Communication System. Other noteworthy ones include royal decrees appointing an undersecretary for the Foreign Ministry, a representative to the ASEAN, and a representative to the World Tourism Organization; approving the accession to the GCC rail agreement; approving the concession agreement for Block 21, approving the assignment of the rights and obligations of Block 49; and ratifying a double taxation treaty with Egypt.
MINISTERIAL DECISIONS
Thirteen ministerial decisions were published in the Official Gazette during this month, with the most significant ones being MHUP’s decision to amend the controls of the ownership of land and real estate by companies for practising their activity, MOCIIP’s decision to amend the list of activities that are prohibited to be practised by foreign investment, and OPAZ’s decision to determine the fees of the services it provides.
BLOG UPDATES
Our blog featured a commentary article by Riyadh Al-Balushi titled “Closed Education: Copyright Provisions in the Omani School Education Law”, two posts by Mohammed Al-Farsi titled “Omani Laws Every Law Graduate Should Know” and “Things You Didn’t Know Were Crimes in Oman”, and two posts by Duniya Al-Nabhani titled “The Omani Constitution: Five Things to Know” and “Key Insights into Your Employment Contract”, along with law updates on MHUP’s decision allowing companies to own residential real estate units in integrated residential compounds and MOCIIP’s decisions to simplify investor procedures and to amend foreign investor prohibited activities.
To stay up to date with the latest laws and regulations coming out, make sure that you subscribe to the free Decree Newsletter.
Your employment contract is the cornerstone of your relationship with your employer, outlining your rights, responsibilities, and the terms of engagement. In Oman, employment contracts are regulated by the Omani Labour Law, which establishes a legal framework to ensure equitable and transparent employment practices. In this blog, we delve into key aspects of your employment contract, as specified in Part 3 of the Labour Law.
In the intricate and diverse fabric of Oman’s legal system, there are certain prohibitions that you might not immediately recognise as criminal offences. From the protection of animal welfare to regulations governing digital privacy, the laws of Oman cover a broad range of unique rules and prohibitions that underline the nation’s dedication to order, respect, and responsibility. This article aims to shed light on these often overlooked areas of Omani law. We delve into offences that, while less known, carry significant penalties, from hefty fines to potential jail time. Whether you’re a local or a foreigner residing or intending to visit the country, gaining an understanding of these legal complexities can help foster respect for Oman’s rich legal heritage and ensure a smoother stay within the nation’s borders. So, buckle up as we explore these intriguing facets of Omani law, unearthing the surprising responsibilities, prohibitions, and penalties that they carry.
The Ministry of Commerce, Industry, and Investment Promotion issued a new decision in this week’s issue of the Official Gazette that changes the list of prohibited activities for foreign investors by removing some activities and adding new ones. For example, the activity of specialised rehabilitation centres is removed, and the activity of marine fishing is added.
You can read the full text of the new decision in English on the link below:
The School Education Law that was issued last month is a substantive piece of legislation that covers all aspects of school education: from the establishment of schools and the admission of students, to the rights and duties of faculty staff. An interesting provision in this key Omani law is found in article 77 stipulating that the Ministry of Education owns copyright over the books and curriculums prepared by the ministry. This is a deviation from article 4(a) of the Copyright and Neighbouring Rights Law which excludes official government documents from copyright protection. This new provision in article 77 of the School Education Law will limit the ability of teachers, students, and parents to fully utilise these textbooks without providing any benefits to the Ministry of Education.
The Ministry of Commerce, Industry, and Investment Promotion issued a new decision in this week’s issue of the Official Gazette that aims to simplify investment procedures and provide facilities to Omani and non-Omani investors by providing an integrated system for obtaining all approvals, permits, and licences for any investment project through the Investment Services Centre in the new Invest in Oman Lounge.
Under this new integrated system, it will be possible to obtain all government approvals, permits, and licences, irrespective of the entity from whom the approval, permit, or licence is required, from the Investment Services Centre. Government entities will be required to provide representative staff available at the Investment Services Centre with the authority to issue such approvals, permits, and licences.
This new decision has entered into force today, but it is not clear when exactly the actual integrated services will be ready to be offered at the Invest in Oman Lounge.
You can read the decision in full in English on the link below:
Being at the top of the hierarchy of laws and regulations in Oman, familiarizing yourself with the Basic Statute of the State, i.e. the constitution, is very critical. This document sets the foundational legal framework that defines the principles, structure, and governance of Oman. Without knowledge of the Basic Statute of the State, no lawyer can reasonably interpret laws effectively, contribute to the legal system, uphold rights and freedoms, or engage in legal discussions. This blog post outlines five key points that everybody needs to know about the Basic Statute of the State.
As more Omanis complete their law degrees in the UK and other common law jurisdictions, it becomes important for them to know the key laws that they should familiarise themselves with as they make the shift from academic life to professional life. This post outlines the laws that I have personally found to be extremely important in my journey in learning about the Omani legal system.
Companies in Oman are permitted to own land and real estate in special situations as prescribed by Decision 45/2021 of the Ministry of Housing and Urban Planning. Under this decision, Omani and GCC-owned companies may own land and real estate by way of purchase if this is necessary for them to practise their licensed activity in regard to land and real estate designated for residential commercial, commercial, industrial, and touristic uses under the controls prescribed by Decision 45/2021. These rules were changed by Decision 102/2023 of MHUP published in today’s issue of the Official Gazette to allow companies to also purchase residential real estate units in integrated residential compounds.
This new decision enters into force tomorrow.
You can read MHUP’s new Decision 102/2023 and the old Decision 45/2021 in English in full on Decree.