Required Report - public distribution

**Date:** 9/29/2008

**GAIN Report Number:** MU8003

MU8003

**Oman**

**FAIRS Country Report**

**Annual**

**2008**

**Approved by:**

![](media/image1.wmf)David Williams

**Prepared by:**

Mohamed Taha

**Report Highlights:**

Sections Updated: Food Laws, Labeling Requirements, Import Procedures

Includes PSD Changes: No

Includes Trade Matrix: No

Annual Report

Dubai \[TC1\]

\[MU\]

Table of Contents

SECTION I. FOOD LAWS

SECTION II: LABELING REQUIREMENTS

ECTION III: PACKAGING AND CONTAINER REGULATIONS

SECTION IV: FOOD ADDITIVE REGULATION

SECTION V: PESTICIDE AND OTHER CONTAMINANTS

SECTION VI: OTHER REGULATIONS AND REQUIREMENTS

SECTION VII: OTHER SPECIFIC STANDARDS

SECTION VIII: COPYRIGHT AND/OR TRADEMARK LAWS

SECTION IX: IMPORT PROCEDURES

APPENDIX I: GOVERNMENT REGULATORY AGENCY CONTACTS

APPENDIX II: OTHER IMPORT SPECIALIST CONTACTS

**DISCLAIMER:** This report has been prepared by the Agricultural Trade
Office of the USDA/Foreign Agricultural Service in Dubai, UAE, for U.S.
exporters of domestic food and agricultural products. While every
possible care has been taken in the preparation of this report, the
information provided might be dated, as some import requirements are
subject to frequent change. It is highly recommended that U.S. exporters
ensure that all necessary customs clearance requirements have been
verified with local authorities through the Omani importer before sale
conditions are finalized. Final import approval of any product is always
subject to the rules and regulations as interpreted by the country of
import at the time of product entry.

# SECTION I. FOOD LAWS

**GCC-Wide Developments**

The Sultanate of Oman is a member of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC)
that also includes Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United
Arab Emirates.

**Food Standards:** The Gulf Standards Organization (GSO) is comprised
of senior standards officials from the six Gulf Cooperation Council
(GCC) member countries and is responsible for developing food and other
standards in the GCC. The GSO food standards committee, which is
currently chaired by Qatar, has been actively updating food standards
over the past two years. Based on the WTO notifications that have been
reviewed thus far, the committee is working to harmonize existing
standards with the guidelines of the Codex Alimentarius and other
international organizations. However, in some cases, differences still
exist between some of the proposed new standards and existing
international guidelines.

In theory, each GCC member should notify the WTO of a proposed new
standard. However, typically one or two member countries submit the
notification. Consequently, interested parties who review these
notifications should bear in mind that, while a notification may be
submitted by a single GCC member, the proposed standard will likely
eventually apply to all GCC member countries. Once a new standard is
approved by the GSO food standards committee, each member country should
officially adopt the standard, thus making it a domestic standard as
well as a GSO standard.

In June 2007, GSO members approved two new standards to replace the
existing food shelf life and labeling standards. The new standards bring
the GCC into closer compliance with the guidelines of Codex Alimentarius
and, for the most part, offer more flexible requirements for importing
foods from foreign markets.

The GSO has created subcommittees to follow-up on other issues related
to food.

1.  Bio-technology subcommittee that is chaired and hosted by the UAE

2.  Labeling subcommittee that is chaired and hosted by Oman.

3.  Additives subcommittee that is chaired and hosted by Saudi Arabia

The GSO also, when the need arises, forms working groups to address
specific issues. Currently, a group is working to develop a unified GCC
Halal standard. The first part of the standard outlines general Halal
requirements and was notified to the WTO by Bahrain. The second part of
the standard is currently being developed and is expected to cover
issues related to Halal certification.

**Customs and Tariffs:** In January 2003, the "GCC Unified Customs Law
and Single Customs Tariff" (UCL) was released. The UCL established a
unified customs tariff of five percent on nearly all processed food
products. Under the UCL, live animals, fresh fruits and vegetables, some
seafood, grains, flour, tea, sugar, spices and seeds for planting are
exempt from tariffs. It also established a single entry point policy. In
other words, a product entering any GCC member market would pay the
appropriate duty only at point of entry and would then be permitted duty
free transit among GCC member countries. In practice, this policy is
employed only with unopened containers transshipped between GCC markets.
Partial shipments tend to be subject to the five percent import duty
again in the country of destination. However, it is expected that all
goods, even partial shipments from opened containers, will eventually
receive single-entry treatment once customs procedures are fully unified
within the next year or two.

**Food Import Procedures:** During 2007, the GCC Food Safety Committee
developed a "Guide for Food Import Procedures for the GCC Countries."
This guide is meant to unify the applied procedures for clearing food
consignments as well as unifying the required import certificates for
different types of foods. The intent is to help facilitate the movement
of food products within the GCC once customs unification is fully
implemented. The United States and a number of other countries commented
extensively on this proposed set of procedures. Implementation of the
requirements has been delayed as GCC members study the comments. GCC
officials are currently planning to implement the requirements in early
2009.

**Oman Developments**

The Sultanate of Oman has yet to adopt the revised GSO Standard 9/2007
for Labeling and GSO 150/2007 for Shelf Life. Until the new standards
are adopted, Oman will continue to refer to Gulf Standard (GS) 9/1995
(OS 58/1995), for label regulations for prepackaged food products, and
GS 150/1993 (OS 246/1993), Part I, which established shelf‑life
standards for a number of food items. Currently, among GCC countries,
Oman and Bahrain most closely follow Codex guidelines for the labeling
of food products. On June 26, 2000, the Omani Minister of Commerce
issued Ministerial Decree No. 74/2000 which relates to food labeling and
safety. This decree, said to complement OS 58/1995, contains the
following main components:

[]{.mark}

Article (1): Labeling information on food and food products shall be in
accordance with the Codex General Standard for the labeling of
prepackaged foods (Codex Standards), all information shall be written in
Arabic and any other language beside Arabic.

[]{.mark}

Article (2): Food products shall not contain alcohol, pork, lard or
their derivatives.

[]{.mark}

Article (3): Definitions and limits of food additives, contaminants,
residue of pesticides and residue of veterinary drugs in food and food
products shall be in accordance with Codex Alimentarius standards.

[]{.mark}

Article (4): Whatever contradicts this decree shall be canceled.

[]{.mark}

The Directorate for Specifications and Measurements, Ministry of
Commerce and Industry (MOCAI), is responsible for formulating food
safety regulations and standards. Regulations become law by official
decree issued by the Minister of Commerce and Industry. Usually, a grace
period of up to six months is granted prior to enforcement of new
regulations.

Regulatory enforcement of food products is divided between the Ministry
of Agriculture and Fisheries (MAF), the Ministry of Health (MOH) and the
various municipalities within the Sultanate of Oman. MAF is responsible
for inspection of live animals and plants, red meats, poultry meat,
agricultural materials, timber, grains, fresh fruits, fresh vegetables
and other unprocessed agricultural products at all points of entry into
the country. The Health Quarantine Department, MOH, is responsible for
inspection of imported semi‑ and fully‑processed food products,
including sugar. Local government or "municipalities" may post officials
at ports of entry, but their role in inspection of imported foods is
very marginal. The municipalities are primarily involved in the
regulation of food through the inspection of products available in local
wholesale and retail markets.

Compliance disputes are settled by a committee comprised of
representatives from the MAF, the Standard and Measurements Directorate
of the MOCAI, the MOH, the Chamber of Commerce and appropriate
municipality bureaus. Trade contacts report that consignments rejected
for minor labeling and other infractions may be granted a one‑time
waiver provided the product is found to be safe for human consumption.
To facilitate product entry, the U.S. supplier is encouraged to work
closely with the local importer or agent to obtain pre‑clearance
approval for labels, particularly for new‑to‑market products, and to
ensure that the U.S. product complies with local food regulations.

Oman is in the process of implementing a free trade agreement with the
United States. Once in effect, products imported from the United States
and remaining in Oman will be exempt from the five percent GCC tariff.

# SECTION II: LABELING REQUIREMENTS

Until Oman adopts the newly developed standards GSO 9/2007 and GSO
150/2007 for labeling and shelf life, Oman will continue to enforce the
old standards. Required information must appear on the original label or
primary packaging and includes:

‑ Product and brand name

‑ Country of origin

‑ Ingredients, in descending order of proportion

‑ Additives, contaminants, any residues of pesticide or veterinary drugs

‑ Origin of animal fat (e.g., beef tallow), if applicable

‑ Net content in metric units (volume in case of liquids)

‑ Expiry date (E)

‑ Name and address of manufacturer, packer, distributor, exporter,
importer or vendor

‑ Nutritional information for foods for special dietary uses

‑ Special storage, transportation and preparation instructions, if any

Products shipped in bulk must meet Omani labeling requirements and must
be accompanied by small, easy‑to‑handle samples for possible laboratory
verification. For example, edible oils imported in bulk must be
accompanied by a small (one liter) sample of the product. The sample
container must contain a label that meets all labeling requirements.

Bilingual labels are permitted, provided one of the languages is Arabic
(e.g. Arabic/English). Arabic language stickers are permitted in lieu of
the original Arabic or bilingual label provided the sticker:

‑ Complies with all labeling requirements and is applied by the
manufacturer.

‑ Does not conceal required information on the original label.

‑ Does not contradict information on the original label.

‑ Is extremely difficult to remove.

If a consignment arrives without an Arabic label, the Ministry of
Commerce may waive this requirement on a one-time basis or it may
request that the importer add Arabic language stickers on the package
before releasing the product. Always confirm with your import agent
before shipping.

Perishable products such as eggs and dairy products that have a shelf
life of three months or less must carry both dates of production and
expiry. Minimally processed products such as rice, dry beans, and grain
with shelf lives greater than three months are allowed to only carry a
production date. Dates must be engraved, embossed, printed or stamped
directly onto the original label or primary packaging at time of
production, using indelible ink. "Sell by", "best before" or "use by
date", are also acceptable formats in lieu of expiry date. Stickers with
date stamps imprinted are not accepted. While technically these dates
must be printed in Arabic, dates printed in English or English/Arabic
are accepted. If printed in multiple languages, the date must be the
same. Any discrepancy in the date will lead to rejection of the
product/shipment.

Bar coding is not permitted in lieu of expiry dates. Dates must be
printed in the following order, as determined by the shelf‑life of the
product, in either digit or text format:

‑ Day/month/year for products with a shelf‑life of 6 months or less

‑ Month/year for products with a shelf‑life longer than 6 months

As noted previously, OS 246/1993 is a voluntary, not mandated, guide for
determining the shelf life of a product for the Oman market. Because
products could be shipped from Oman to regional markets, most Omani
traders will request products comply with OS 246/1993.

Specialty food product labels, for items such as diet, health and infant
foods, must contain detailed ingredient information (vitamins, minerals,
supplements, additives including food colorings, preservatives, etc.),
nutritive value per 100 grams, health warnings if any, and instructions
for proper use and storage. The U.S. nutritional panel is permitted.
Baby foods must be inspected and approved by the Medicine Control
Section, MOH. U.S. suppliers should verify with the import agent if an
import permit is required for the particular specialty food shipment.

If imported products are destined to other GCC countries that require
dates of production and expiry, the U.S. supplier is advised to label
his products accordingly to avoid the rejection of his product(s) in its
final destination. No GCC member country accepts P/E information printed
on a sticker in lieu of the original package.

Bulk or institutional‑sized containers must comply with labeling
requirements. P/E dates are not required for certain products, including
fresh fruits and vegetables as indicated by OS 246/1993. However,
importers will often request that production date information be
included on the product. Expiry dates are not required for products
deemed to be extremely shelf‑stable such as salt and sugar. Products
arriving clearly marked, as samples not intended for sale, are exempt
from label regulations.

**SECTION III: PACKAGING AND CONTAINER REQUIREMENTS**

General requirements for packaged special foods are covered under GS
654/1996, GS 839/97, and GS 1024/2000.

**SECTION IV: FOOD ADDITIVES**

In general, Oman accepts any food or coloring additive approved by the
Codex Alimentarius, even those additives that are not listed in GS
23/1998. Under GS 23/1998, the common name and index number of color
additives contained in a product must be noted on the label. European
\"E\" numbers are permitted. (See Appendix A for a list of approved
color additives).

# SECTION V: PESTICIDES AND OTHER CONTAMINANTS

Oman Standard OS 482/1994 correlates to GS 382/1994 for \"Maximum Limits
of Pesticide Residues in Agricultural and Food Products - Part I\" while
OS 483/1994 correlates to GS 383/1994 for \"Maximum Limits of Pesticide
Residues in Agricultural and Food Products - Part II\". Codex
Alimentarius standards are used as guidelines. The Ministry of
Agriculture and Fisheries monitors for residues.

Oman will recognize a non-listed color or color additive if approved
under Codex or other International Standard.

# SECTION VI: OTHER REGULATIONS AND REQUIREMENTS

All food consignments must be accompanied by:

1\) A health certificate issued by the appropriate government agency in
the country of origin that attests to the product\'s fitness for human
consumption.

2\) A Halal slaughter certificate issued by an approved Islamic center
in the country of origin for all meat and poultry products.

Both an Arab Chamber of Commerce and the Oman Embassy or Oman Consulate
in the United States, must notarize these certificates. If the latter is
not present, another Arab diplomatic mission is acceptable.

Poultry products are randomly tested for salmonella. Omani guidelines
allow for a maximum tolerance of salmonella in 20 percent of the samples
tested.

While alcoholic beverages are restricted to eight imported-licensed
companies, only two companies are licensed to retail it. Non‑alcoholic
beer requires an import license issued from the MOCAI and mandatory
testing at point-of-entry.

Pork and pork product can be imported, but are subject to a 100 percent
tariff. Pork and pork products must be retailed in a separate section of
the retail outlet that is headed with a sign \"Pork products, not for
Muslims\".

No special packaging or container size requirements exist for food
products. Radiation and dioxin-free certificates are not required for
U.S. origin foods. Oman does not have any regulation governing the
importation of irradiated food products, but such products have
encountered problems at Custom entry points in the past.

Municipality food inspectors randomly check food products in wholesale
and retail markets regardless of origin. In addition to a visual label
inspection, a sample may be analyzed to verify the accuracy of the label
versus actual product content. If a discrepancy is found, the product is
removed from the market and destroyed at the supplier\'s expense. If the
infraction is severe, i.e., the label does not identify a pork
ingredient or is intentionally altered or falsified, the product may be
banned from the market for a specified period of time, usually six to
twelve months.

# SECTION VII: OTHER SPECIFIC STANDARDS 

Food samples - No special requirements exist. Samples destined for food
shows and other types of promotional events are exempt from local label
and shelf‑life regulations. Samples must be accompanied by health
certificates and invoices that state the products are not for sale and
are of no commercial value.

Infant, diet and health foods -- No special regulations govern
importation. Such products must comply with labeling regulations. Baby
foods must be registered at the Ministry of Health who will issue an
import permit for every shipment prior to Customs clearance.

# SECTION VIII: COPYRIGHT AND/OR TRADE MARK LAWS

Oman Ministerial Decree No. 38/2000 gave legal recognition of
international copyright laws and legal protection on trademarks. The
Ministry of Commerce is responsible for brand registration, which
usually can be completed in a short time.

In 1996, an agency decree was issued that permitted the importation of
food products by importers other than the registered agent. Oman permits
parallel imports.

# SECTION IX: IMPORT PROCEDURES

The Port of Sultan Qaboos in Muscat is Oman's main port. In recent
years, the port has invested in infrastructure expansion and
modernization, particularly at the container terminal. Port inspection
services (foods and customs) are improving with the average time
required to clear food consignments to 1-2 hours.

The Port of Salalah is undergoing a major expansion and development
program. This port facilitates Oman's trade to Yemen and other East
African countries. The Port of Sohar, the country's third largest port,
is also undergoing a rapid expansion and hopes to capitalize on its
proximity to other GCC markets.

Import documentation required for food items includes:

‑ Commercial invoice

‑ Packing list

\- Bill of Lading

‑ Health certificate

‑ Halal slaughter certificate (for meat and poultry products only)

‑ Certificate of Origin

\- Import permit from the respective Ministry

The MAF issues import permits for agricultural products under its
jurisdiction - live animals and plants, red meat, poultry meat,
agricultural materials, timber, grains and other unprocessed
agricultural products.

No appeal process exists for food products rejected as unfit for human
consumption. Rejected consignments must be destroyed or re‑exported.

Products rejected for minor labeling infractions may be allowed entry
upon appeal. New‑to‑market and ethnic food products are normally allowed
entry on a one‑time basis, despite minor labeling infractions.

P/E date related infractions (i.e., missing production and expiry dates,
dates printed in the wrong order and dates printed on stickers rather
than original labels) normally result in rejection of the product.
Disputed products may be stored at the port of entry or under bond
outside the port until a final resolution is reached.

Arabic language labeling is required. However, the Ministry of Commerce
will allow the importer to add Arabic language stickers to the label to
permit the sale of the product.

Processed or value added food products are subject to a five percent
import duty, ad valorem CIF basis. Pork and pork products, alcoholic
beverages and dried lemons are assessed a 100 percent import duty.
Bananas and edible oils in retail pack are levied a 25 percent
protective tariff while dates are assessed a 20 percent tariff.
GCC‑origin products are exempt from all import duties. Once Oman
implements the provisions of its free trade agreement with the Unites
States, imports of U.S. products remaining in Oman will be duty-free.

#  

# APPENDIX I: GOVERNMENT REGULATORY AGENCY CONTACTS

Sheikh Saud bin Nasser Al Khusaibi, Director General

Directorate of Specifications and Measurements

Ministry of Commerce & Industry

P.O. Box 550, Postal Code 113

Muscat, Oman

Phone: (968) 24 813-238; Fax: (968) 24 815- 992

E-mail: <dgsm123@omantel.net.om>

**Mr. Saleh Al Zadgali, Director of Specifications**

Directorate General for Specifications and Measurements

Ministry of Commerce & Industry

P.O. Box 550 - Postal Code 113

Muscat, Oman

Phone: (968) 24 813-238; Fax: (968) 24 815- 992

E-mail: <sms_9000@hotmail.com>

**Mr. Sulaiman H. Al Yahmadi, Director**

Health Quarantine

Ministry of Health

P.O. Box 393 - Postal Code 113

Muscat, Oman

Phone: (968) 24 714‑233; Fax: (968) 24 602‑161

**Eng. Ali Al Kulaibi, Director General**

Animal Wealth Department

Ministry of Agriculture

P.O. Box 467 - Postal Code 113

Muscat, Oman

Phone: (968) 24 696‑300; Fax: (968) 24 696‑271

**Eng. Said Darwish Al-Alawi, Director General**

Health Control

Ministry of Regional Municipalities & Water Resources

P.O. Box 461 -- P.C. 112

Muscat, Oman

Tel: (968) 246-92564 Fax: (968) 24 692-547

E-mail: <dghc@mrmewr.gov.om>