Oman's commitments under WTO agreements

I. Goods:

Agricultural Products:
All agricultural products, except those mentioned below will be charged a maximum of 15% custom duty:

• Dates: 100%

• Bananas: 100%

• Fruits and vegetables grown in Oman: 80% in the season and 30% in the off-season.

• Fresh and long-life milk: 75%

• Eggs: 75% in season and 20% in off-season.

• Tobacco: 150%

• Alcoholic beverages: 200%

• Pork and pork products: 200%

In addition, there are a number of agriculture products that attract a custom duty ranging between 10 and 5 percent. 

Other Products: 

• Fish and fish products (not included in agricultural products): 20%

• Oil and oil products: 20%

• Pharmaceuticals: 0%

• Chemicals: 0%, 5.5% and 6.5% (These rates shall become effective after 10 years from the date of joining WTO in respect of plastic products and after 5 years for other products.)

• IT agreement products: 0% (effective after 5 years)

• Paper: 5% (effective after 2 years)

• Construction equipment: 5% (effective after 5 years) 

• Medical equipment: 5% (effective after 5 years)

• Aircraft and parts thereof: 5% (from the beginning and 0% after 3 years)

• Ships and Boats:5%

In addition, there are some other products not mentioned above, for which a ceiling ranging between 5 and 10 percent has been fixed. For example, the custom tariff for wood is 8%.

II. Services: 

Oman is committed to allow the entry of Foreign Service providers in the following sectors:

• Communication

• Banking and finance

• Insurance

• Marine transport

• Professional services (e.g. legal and accounting)

• Business services (e.g. computer, management consultancy, advertising)

• Construction

• Education, health and environment

• Audi-visual

• Distribution 

Oman has fixed an upper ceiling for foreign participation starting from 49% to 70%, with effect from January 2001, to be implemented by the Ministry of Commerce and Industry.

Regarding the sensitive sectors, foreign participation in them has been extended to the lowest level even after the year 2000 in some sectors such as films and cartoon films distribution (49%), owning and operating cinemas (51%) restaurants (49%) air transport selling and marketing (51%), on-line reservation (51%) storage and warehousing (51%) and packaging and contract cleaning (51%). Oman has also agreed to allow either to open branches or full ownership, or both for the service providers in the following sectors:

• Service related computers (full foreign ownership from 2003)

• Communications service (full foreign ownership from 2005)

• Banking service (full foreign ownership from 2003). Foreign banks can open their branches. 

• Other financial services: Securities (full foreign ownership from the date of WTO joining)

Oman has also fixed the maximum number of foreign staff in foreign companies wishing to have a business presence in Oman, at 20%. The entry of these natural persons is allowed for 2 years renewable for a maximum of 4 years. 

As regards the taxes, the companies in which the foreign ownership is 70% have to pay the same rates as levied from the wholly owned Omani companies starting January 2001.