Oman: Penalties for Negligent Pet Owners in Public Places Announced

Times of Oman, 30 September 2022: Muscat Municipality has announced fines will be imposed on negligent pet owners in public places.

Owners of pets should remove their pet’s waste when roaming in public places, take the necessary precautions to prevent the pet from disposing of waste in these places and ensure their pets wear collars.

The pet must be licensed by a competent veterinary authority at the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Water Resources.

If they fail to comply with these regulations, they will be fined 50 Rials.

To view more news items and other content we have available, visit lexis.ae/demo to book a demo and start your free trial of Lexis® Middle East.

Want to learn more about Lexis® Middle East? Visit, https://www.lexis.ae/lexis-middle-east-law/.

Oman: Government Land Use Amendments Approved

Times of Oman, 15 September 2022: Oman’s Sultan has approved amendments to the Government Land Use Decree.

Under the amendments to Oman Sultani Decree No. 5/1981 and its Implementing Regulations by Oman Sultani Decree No. 59/2022, the wording ‘on regulating the Sultanate’s land use and development’ is replaced with ‘Regulating the Sultanate of Oman’s land use and development’.

The wording to Oman Sultani Decree No. 88/1982 ‘Endorsing the Executive Regulation on regulating the Sultanate’s land use and development’ is replaced with the wording ‘Endorsing the Executive Regulation on regulating the Sultanate of Oman’s land use and development’.

The Minister of Housing and Urban Planning will be entitled, after approval by the Council of Ministers, to amend the Implementing Regulation on regulating the Sultanate of Oman’s land use and development.

Anything which contradicts or contravenes it will be repealed.

It will be published in the Official Gazette and come into force the day after publication.

Also reported in Atheer on 15 September 2022. For the full story, click here.

To view more news items and other content we have available, visit lexis.ae/demo to book a demo and start your free trial of Lexis® Middle East.

Want to learn more about Lexis® Middle East? Visit, https://www.lexis.ae/lexis-middle-east-law/.

Oman: New Law to Combat Climate Change

Oman Observer, 29 August 2022: Oman is currently updating their climate affairs regulations to keep up with local and international developments.

The aim is that the regulations will monitor the performance of companies and institutions tasked with climate areas, who will be expected to either moderate or change their activities to adapt to climate change. A new climate change law will serve as a regulatory code for drafting general climate change provisions covering all Oman sectors.

Preliminary steps include drafting a national strategy to alleviate and adapt to climate change.

A database has also been set up to collate information on emissions and track progress toward reducing emissions by seven per cent by 2030. There is also a database collecting information on projects to adapt to climate change in Oman and another on greenhouse gases in primary sectors.

To view more news items and other content we have available, visit lexis.ae/demo to book a demo and start your free trial of Lexis® Middle East.

Want to learn more about Lexis® Middle East? Visit, https://www.lexis.ae/lexis-middle-east-law/.

Oman: Court Takes Action Against Driving School

Oman Observer, 22 August 2022: The Souhar Court of First Instance has charged a driving school for failing to provide its services properly.

The driving school owner has been sentenced to two months in jail and ordered to pay a fine of 100 Rials. The Directorate General of the Consumer Protection Authority in Souhar had received a complaint from a pupil at the school. She had been assigned an instructor who had died. The school did not provide her with an alternative and refused to refund her what she had paid. This was an offence under Oman Sultani Decree No. 66/2014.

To view more news items and other content we have available, visit lexis.ae/demo to book a demo and start your free trial of Lexis® Middle East.

Want to learn more about Lexis® Middle East? Visit, https://www.lexis.ae/lexis-middle-east-law/.

Oman: Quality Standards in Hotels and Tourist Establishments Notice Issued

Times of Oman, 18 August 2022: Oman’s Heritage and Tourism Ministry has issued a notice to all hotel and tourist establishments in the Sultanate to prepare their facilities in line with specified quality standards.

The standards cover quality, cleanliness, service level and customer satisfaction.

They were issued in line with the Tourism Law and the Implementing Regulations to the Law.

From 1 October this year, the Ministry will conduct inspections to ensure compliance.

Offenders will be prosecuted.

To view more news items and other content we have available, visit lexis.ae/demo to book a demo and start your free trial of Lexis® Middle East.

Want to learn more about Lexis® Middle East? Visit, https://www.lexis.ae/lexis-middle-east-law/.

Oman: Incorrect Weather Forecasters to be Fined

Times of Oman, 8 August 2022: Oman’s Civil Aviation Authority has announced that incorrect weather forecasters will be fined.

Institutions and individuals should not publish unauthorised forecasts and warnings during weather which affects the Sultanate.

Those who do violate Article 30 of the Civil Aviation Law could be jailed for up to three years and/or fined between 15,000 and 50,000 Rials.

To view more news items and other content we have available, visit lexis.ae/demo to book a demo and start your free trial of Lexis® Middle East.

Want to learn more about Lexis® Middle East? Visit, https://www.lexis.ae/lexis-middle-east-law/.

Oman: Hotel Regulations Amended

Times of Oman, 1 August 2022: Oman’s Heritage and Tourism Ministry has announced it has amended the construction of hotel establishments regulation.

The amendments relate to the controls for establishing hotels to ensure greater compliance with classification and quality standards and the rules specified in the Implementing Regulations to the Tourism Law on the organisation of hotel and tourist establishments.

The amendments will apply to all new orders to set up hotel establishments.

The amendments have been approved to improve standards and support the sector’s development in the Sultanate.

To view more news items and other content we have available, visit lexis.ae/demo to book a demo and start your free trial of Lexis® Middle East.

Want to learn more about Lexis® Middle East? Visit, https://www.lexis.ae/lexis-middle-east-law/.

Oman: Household Business Activities Decision Issued

Times of Oman, 24 July 2022: Oman’s Commerce, Industry and Investment Promotion Ministry has issued a Ministerial Decision promulgating a regulation on making homemade business products.

Oman Ministerial Decision No. 473/2022 streamlines and legalises the activities of owners of household business activities undertaken by citizens to generate income, protect the rights of sellers and buyers and secure customer confidence in commercial transactions in the Sultanate and abroad.

The Decision bans any home-based business from being practised before the individual, or the family obtains a licence from the Ministry and the relevant authorities.

Everyone who engages in a home business activity must correct their status within six months from the date of their work.

To obtain a licence, the applicant must be an Omani national; the applicant should be at least 18, not have another licence to practice any commercial, professional, craft or industrial activity and pay the relevant fee.

Along with the licence application, the applicant should submit the title deed of the house where the activity is carried out, the lease contract, or the homeowner’s approval where the house is rented and their ID card or passport. They should also submit details of the home production work to be licenced.

The licence will be issued for three years and cost three Rials. The licence may be renewed for similar periods. The same procedures and conditions will apply.

The renewal application must be submitted 30 days before the expiry of the licence period.

The licensee must comply with the legislation regulating the licensed domestic production activity and the regulations governing the licensed activity from the relevant authority. They will also have to be familiar with practising licensed home business and not employ foreigners.

In addition, they should not assign the licence to others, even temporarily, and not place any advertising or promotional billboards on the house or external walls. A small board can be placed at the house entrance showing the licensee’s name, the licence number, the type of activity, and the phrase home business provided its area does not exceed 30cm x 60cm and the board must be flat.

They should not store any goods, equipment or machines outside the house or any toxic, dangerous or flammable materials or any other materials which may cause harm to public health in the place of activity.

The licensee cannot practice the activity after the licence has expired or in a place other than where it is licenced to work.

An administrative fine of 100 Rials will be imposed on licensees who violate the Decision. The penalty will only be set after the relevant authorities have issued a written warning of the reasons for the violation and given three days to remove it. The fine will be doubled for repeat violations.

Where the violation is not corrected, the Ministry can suspend the licence for up to three months. The Ministry may cancel the licence after this period has expired without the violation being removed.

The licensee may appeal the penalties under the Decision to the Minister within 60 days from the date of their notification of it.

The grievance will on within 30 days from the date of its submission, and the lapse of this date without a response will be considered a rejection.

In all instances, the refusal decision must be justified.

To view more news items and other content we have available, visit lexis.ae/demo to book a demo and start your free trial of Lexis® Middle East.

Want to learn more about Lexis® Middle East? Visit, https://www.lexis.ae/lexis-middle-east-law/.