More govt services fees cut to help private sector

Muscat: To attract foreign investment, improve competitiveness and boost the private sector, the Ministry of Finance (MoF) has reduced, merged or cancelled 288 service fees in the Supreme Judicial Council; the Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Investment Promotion; the Environment Authority; and Authority for Civil Defence and Ambulance. These changes, which were announced by MoF officials in a press conference on Tuesday, will come into effect in the first quarter of 2023.

This is part of the second phase of government services pricing guidelines to achieve a balance between fiscal policy and the directions of Oman Vision 2040. The government services pricing guide was approved on November 9, 2021, with the blessings of His Majesty Sultan Haitham bin Tarik.

MoF officials said as many as 739 fees were studied during the second phase of the guide’s programme.

The Supreme Judicial Council said that a study on fees of the notary public led to the merging of 15 fees (14 fees were reduced and merged, and one fee was abolished), while the fees payable by inheritance agents were unified into a single fee at RO 1 to be charged against the client.

At the Environment Authority, 30 fees were reviewed, with 19 fees reduced and 11 fees abolished.

The review in Authority for Civil Defence and Ambulance led to the reduction, cancellation and merging of 15 fees (14 fees cut down and merged and 1 fee abolished).

The review of the municipality sector led to the reduction, cancellation and merging of 104 fees (with 59 fees discounted and merged and 45 fees annulled altogether).

At the Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Investment Promotion, as many as 127 fees were reduced, cancelled and merged (with 107 reduced and 20 abolished).

The Finance Ministry pointed out that a third phase of the Government Services Pricing Guide will be implemented, and it will cover the review of fees of the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Water Resources, the Ministry of Health, the Ministry of Housing and Urban Planning, and the Ministry of Higher Education, Research and Innovation.