Legal Framework & Tax
From The Report: Oman 2020
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Prior to 1971 the Sharia Courts had jurisdiction over all civil and criminal matters, as well as personal status matters in the sultanate of Oman. However, after the succession of Sultan Qaboos bin Said Al Said, the judicial system was reformed in the sultanate, and Sharia Courts currently only govern matters relating to family disputes and inheritance. The 1996 Basic Statute of the State reshaped and codified the legal system in Oman, creating separate structures for the executive bodies, the judiciary, and the rights and obligations of individuals. The principles of the Basic Law entail that Oman is a free market based on cooperation between the public and private sectors. This chapter contains a viewpoint from Ben Ewing, Partner, CMS Oman.

Articles from this Chapter

Overview

Greater flexibility: An in-depth look at changes to the foreign investment framework
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Prior to 1971 the Sharia Courts had jurisdiction over all civil and criminal matters, as well as personal status matters in the sultanate of Oman. However, after the succession of Sultan Qaboos bin Said Al Said, the judicial system was reformed in the sultanate, and Sharia Courts currently only govern matters relating to family disputes and inheritance. The 1996 Basic Statute of the State (promulgated by Royal Decree No. 101 of 1996 and known as the Basic Law) reshaped and codified the legal…

Viewpoint

Easing restrictions: Ben Ewing, Partner, CMS Oman, on recent legal developments in the corporate and business sphere
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Viewpoint:Ben Ewing The year 2019 saw several legislative changes in Oman aimed at encouraging business growth and diversification of the economy, which has so far relied heavily on the hydrocarbons industry. I would like to outline the major changes to the legal framework and the potential positive impact on Oman’s investment climate. One of the changes pertains to the new Commercial Companies Law (CCL), as promulgated by Royal Decree No. 18 of 2019. An important change under the new CCL…

Overview

By the numbers: The system continues to adjust to changes in the tax code
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Taxation in Oman is the responsibility of the Ministry of Finance (MoF) and the Secretariat General for Taxation. The framework is mainly governed by the following laws: • The Income Tax Law, promulgated by Royal Decree No. 28 of 2009, as amended, including by Royal Decree No. 9 of 2017; • The Commercial Companies Law, promulgated by Royal Decree No. 4 of 1974, as amended; • The Foreign Capital Investment Law, promulgated by Royal Decree No. 102 of 1994, as amended; • The Law…