Muscat – With an aim to support economic development and financial stability, the Ministry of Finance has announced that 288 government service fees will be reduced, cancelled or combined with effect from the first quarter of 2023.

At a press conference held on Tuesday, Rouf al Hinai, Head of Government Services Fees Department in the Ministry of Finance, said, “The results of a study of government services fees in the second phase of the implementation of the Government Services Pricing Guide included fees of the Supreme Judicial Council, the Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Investment Promotion, the Environment Authority, the municipal councils, and the Civil Defence and Ambulance Authority.”

According to Hinai, the revised fee structure aims to raise the quality of services provided by the government and offer a competitive edge to the sultanate when it comes to attracting foreign investments. The integrated pricing structure will see fees decreased, increased, combined or cancelled for services offered by the government

A total of 903 service fees have been revised, of which 557 fees were either reduced or cancelled in the first phase. In the second phase, 739 fees were reviewed, of which 288 fees will be reduced, and 37 new services will be added for a fee.

The Supreme Judicial Council has stated 15 service fees have been reduced, cancelled or combined. Agency fees related to heir have been combined to one amounting to RO1 for each client who proves their heir.

Meanwhile, the Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Investment Promotion stated that 127 service fees, including intellectual property services and patent registration services for companies and individuals have been reduced, cancelled or combined.

Ibtisam al Shamsiya, from Muscat Municipality, said, “A total of 104 services related to the municipality sector have been reduced or cancelled. All fees on paper forms have been cancelled and replaced with digital forms.”

The Civil Defence and Ambulance Authority informed that five service fees were reduced and seven others were cancelled in the second phase.

The Environment Authority reduced or cancelled 30 service fees.

The Ministry of Finance has indicated that the implementation of the third phase of the Government Services Pricing Guide will include reviewing 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, in addition to completing the review of the service fees of the Supreme Judicial Council.

RO50 refundable security deposit to instal car shades

Following Royal directives and in line with efforts to review government services fees, Muscat Municipality has amended its service procedures, cancelled 24 fees and reduced or combined 31 which will come into force during the first quarter of 2023.

A statement issued by Muscat Municipality said, ‘The municipality will cancel the fees for permits to instal car shades in front of residences in lieu of a refundable security deposit of RO50. This will come into effect in the first quarter of next year.’

Additionally, Muscat Municipality will reduce four fees for commercial signages, transferring the service to the Invest Easy Portal, while cancelling the annual renewal of commercial signs, starting from Q1 2023. It will cancel the service fee for issuing health cards for workers (workers’ list) to be regulated by the competent authority.