Oman

This page gathers key information on Oman's negotiations to join the WTO. Oman became the 139th WTO Member on 9 November 2000.

Page for Oman as a Member

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Accession status:

Member

Current status in the accession process

I. Overview

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Application received	22/04/1996	WT/ACC/OMN/1
Accession Working Party established	26/06/1996	WT/GC/M/12
Terms of Reference & accession Working Party membership	11/11/1996	WT/ACC/OMN/4 + (revisions)

Formal meetings

	Date of the meeting	Convening notice	Statement(s) by the Head of the Delegation	Statement(s) by Working Party members	Delegation list	Other documents for the meeting	News item
1st	Date of the meeting 30/04/1997	Convening notice WTO/AIR/563	Statement(s) by the Head of the Delegation	Statement(s) by Working Party members	Delegation list	Other documents for the meeting	News item
2nd	Date of the meeting 28/11/1997	Convening notice WTO/AIR/725	Statement(s) by the Head of the Delegation	Statement(s) by Working Party members	Delegation list	Other documents for the meeting	News item
3th	Date of the meeting 02/10/1998	Convening notice WTO/AIR/923	Statement(s) by the Head of the Delegation	Statement(s) by Working Party members	Delegation list	Other documents for the meeting	News item
4th	Date of the meeting 07/05/1999	Convening notice WTO/AIR/1078	Statement(s) by the Head of the Delegation	Statement(s) by Working Party members	Delegation list	Other documents for the meeting	News item
5th	Date of the meeting 29/02/2000	Convening notice WTO/AIR/1250	Statement(s) by the Head of the Delegation	Statement(s) by Working Party members	Delegation list	Other documents for the meeting	News item
6th	Date of the meeting 06/07/2000	Convening notice WTO/AIR/1350	Statement(s) by the Head of the Delegation	Statement(s) by Working Party members	Delegation list	Other documents for the meeting	News item

Plurilateral Meetings

	Date of the meeting	Convening notice	Statement(s) by the Head of the Delegation
	Date of the meeting	Convening notice	Statement(s) by the Head of the Delegation

II. Multilateral Negotiations

Memorandum on the Foreign Trade Regime (MFTR)	29/10/1996	WT/ACC/OMN/2
Initial cycle(s) of Questions and Replies, following the circulation of the MFTR	21/03/1997	WT/ACC/OMN/5
	18/04/1997	WT/ACC/OMN/5/Add.2
Factual Summary of Points Raised	12/03/1998
Additional Questions & Replies	31/08/1999	WT/ACC/OMN/18
	13/01/2000	WT/ACC/OMN/22
	26/03/1997	WT/ACC/OMN/6
	26/09/1997	WT/ACC/OMN/6/Add.1
	03/08/1998	WT/ACC/OMN/9
	04/02/1999	WT/ACC/OMN/14
Elements of a Draft Report of the Working Party	08/03/1999	WT/ACC/SPEC/OMN/6
Draft Report of the Working Party	02/09/1999	WT/ACC/SPEC/OMN/7 (+ revisions)
Agriculture including Questions & Replies (WT/ACC/22/Add.1)	25/09/1997	WT/ACC/SPEC/OMN/2 (+ revisions)
SPS Checklist (WT/ACC/22/Add.2)
TBT Checklist (WT/ACC/22/Add.2)
TRIPS Questionnaire (WT/ACC/22/Add.2)
Import Licensing Procedures Questionnaire (WT/ACC/22 + revisions)
Customs Valuation Checklist (WT/ACC/22 + revisions)
State-Trading Questionnaire (WT/ACC/22 + revisions)
Draft Subsidies Notification (WT/ACC/22/Add.2)
Legislative Action Plan (LAP)	02/09/1999	WT/ACC/OMN/11/Rev.1
Rule-specific Action Plans	22/09/1998	WT/ACC/OMN/11 (IP-specific)
	22/09/1998	WT/ACC/OMN/12 (TBT specific)
	30/09/1998	WT/ACC/OMN/13 (Customs Valuation-specific)
	07/06/1999	WT/ACC/OMN/16 (SPS-specific)

Legislation and implementing regulations

	Legislation notice	Notified legislation
30/10/1996	WT/ACC/OMN/3	Commercial Business Laws of Oman (Ministry of Commerce and Industry) Banking Law of 1974 Customs Management Decree of 1978 (Directorate General of Customs, Royal Oman Police) Royal Decree No. 1/79 of 4 January 1979 Law for the Organization and Encouragement of Industry Royal Decree No. 12/79 of 22 Rabi al-Thani 1399 A.H. (21 March 1979) Insurance Companies Law Royal Decree No. 86/87 of 12 Safar 1408 H. (5 October 1987) Law of Trademarks and Data Royal Decree No. 53/88 of 6 Zu Qaida 1408 H. (21 June 1988) Law of Muscat Securities Market Royal Decree No. 55/90 of 18 Dhu al-Hijja 1410 A.H. (11 July 1990) Commercial Law Royal Decree No. 102/94 of 11 Jumada 1, 1415 A.H. (16 October 1994) Foreign Capital Investment Law Royal Decree No. 120/94 of 7 Rajab 1415 (1994) Law on Organization of Engineering Consultancy Offices Royal Decree No. 47/96 of 21 Moharram, 1417 A.H. (8 June 1996) Copyright Law
20/03/1997	WT/ACC/OMN/5/Add.1	Royal Decree No. 39/96 of 20 October 1976 incorporating the Directorate General for Specifications and Measurements (DGSM) Royal Decree No. 1/78 of 3 January 1978 On the Jurisdiction of the Directorate General for Specifications and Measurements (DGSM) Royal Decree No. 74/90 of 29 September 1990 On the Calibration of Measuring Instruments Directory of Preferential Treatment to National Industries - Products in Government Purchases Royal Decree No. 47/96 of 8 June 1996 Promulgating the Copyright Law
01/04/1999	WT/ACC/OMN/15	Draft law on copyright and related rights Draft law on industrial designs Draft law on layout designs of integrated circuits Draft law on customs valuation
28/10/1999	WT/ACC/OMN/17	Draft Law on Trademarks and Registration Procedures Draft Law for the Protection of Topographic Rights for Integrated Circuits Draft Law on Industrial Design and Model Law Draft Law for the Protection of Geographical Indications
01/11/1999	WT/ACC/OMN/19	Rules on Customs Valuation Copyright Law and Related Rights Ministerial Decree on Rules of Origin Import Regulations Effective in the Sultanate of Oman Ministerial Decree on Labelling Requirements on imported food and food products Ministerial Decree for the Establishment of an Enquiry Point at the Directorate General for Specifications and Measurements within the Ministry of Commerce & Industry Draft Law on the Protection of New Plant Varieties Draft Law for Plant Quarantine
10/11/1999	WT/ACC/OMN/20	Draft Patent Law for Arab Gulf Cooperation Council (unofficial translation)
11/01/2000	WT/ACC/OMN/23	Draft Ministerial Decision on Import Licensing Procedures Draft Ministerial Decision on Patent Protection Draft Ministerial Decree on Animal Quarantine (an SPS measure) Draft Ministerial Decision Abolishing the Import Quotas on Eggs, Milk, Fruit and Vegetables Draft Decree Cancelling Article 76 of the Customs Law (formerly Clause 4 of Article 19 of the Law on Establishment and Encouragement of Industry)
11/01/2000	WT/ACC/OMN/24	Draft Ministerial Decision No. 99 on Import Regulations Draft Rules on Customs Valuation Draft Ministerial Decree No. 99 establishing the Directorate General for Specifications and Measurements within the Ministry of Commerce and Industry Draft Copyright Law and its Related Rights Draft Industrial Designs and Patterns Law Draft Law for Trade Marks and Trade Secrets and Protection from Illegal Competition Draft Law for the Protection of Integrated Circuits (Topographic) Designs Draft Law for the Protection of Geographical Indications
15/02/2000	WT/ACC/OMN/25	Draft Customs Valuation Law Draft Ministerial Decision on Import Licensing Procedures Draft Law for Trade Marks and Trade Secrets and Protection from Illegal Competition Draft Copyright Law and its Related Rights) Draft Industrial Designs and Patterns Law Draft Law for the Protection of Integrated Circuits (Topographic) Designs Draft Status of Legislation on Intellectual Property in Oman (February 2000)
18/02/2000	WT/ACC/OMN/25/Add.1	Draft Decree on Veterinary Quarantine (revised) Draft Law on the Protection of New Plant Varieties (revised) Draft Ministerial Decree on Labelling Information Draft Ministerial Decree on TBT (revised) Omani Quality Mark and Certificate of Conformity Regulations 2000
08/03/2000	WT/ACC/OMN/25/Add.2	Draft Decree Concerning the Law for Plant Quarantine Draft Decree Concerning the Law for Veterinary Quarantine Draft Decree Repealing Article 7 of the Royal Decree No. 7/82 Establishing Oman Refinery Company LLC
10/03/2000	WT/ACC/OMN/25/Add.3	Sultani Decree No. 101/96 Promulgating the Basic Statute of the State Draft Patents Law for the Sultanate of Oman
23/03/2000	WT/ACC/OMN/25/Add.4	Amendments to Royal Decree No. 79/81 and Royal Decree No. 32/84 (concerning the right of appeal in the Commercial Court)
28/04/2000	WT/ACC/OMN/25/Add.5	Royal Decree No. 91/99 Establishing the Administrative Court and Promulgating its Law
21/06/2000	WT/ACC/OMN/25/Add.6 (+ corrigendum)	Customs Valuation Law Draft Law on the Protection of New Plant Varieties: Revision Draft Ministerial Decree on Good Labelling and Safety
29/09/2000	WT/ACC/OMN/25/Add.7	Draft Law on the Enforcement of Intellectual Property Rights Including Border Measures for the Sultanate of Oman

Consultation documents

	Consultation notice	Notified consultation document
30/10/1996	WT/ACC/SPEC/OMN/3	A guide to the Financial Support for the Private Sector in the Fields of Industry and Tourism by the Directorate General of Industry, Ministry of Commerce and Industry
20/03/1997	WT/ACC/SPEC/OMN/5/Add.1	List of prohibited and Restricted Imports According to Schedule (1) of the Customs Law; List of Prohibited Pesticides;
25/09/1997	WT/ACC/SPEC/OMN/1	Proposals on Transitional Periods
05/11/1997	WT/ACC/OMN/7 (+ revisions)	Check List of Documents
26/01/1998	WT/ACC/SPEC/OMN/5	Present Status and Future Programme for Implementation of the TRIPS Agreement
26/03/1998	WT/ACC/OMN/8	Information on Policy Measures Affecting Trade in Services
28/07/1998	WT/ACC/OMN/10	Foreign Trade Statistics for 1997
01/09/1999	WT/ACC/OMN/18/Add.1	List of Luxury Items (for tariff purposes and in the answer to question 16 of WT/ACC/OMN/18)
17/11/1999	WT/ACC/OMN/21	The Information Centre for Technical Regulations, Conformity Assessment Procedures and Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures Principles and Procedures of Implementing the Agreement on Technical Barriers to Trade List of Mandatory Omani Standards
18/02/2000	WT/ACC/OMN/25/Add.1	Schedule of Notification Obligations (revised) List of Mandatory Omani Standards (revised)
08/03/2000	WT/ACC/OMN/25/Add.2	Framework for Updating Omani Standards Foodstuff Principles and Procedures of Implementing the Agreement on Technical Barriers to Trade

III. Bilateral Market Access Negotiations

Goods Offer(s)	29/10/1997	WT/ACC/SPEC/OMN/3 (+ revisions)
Services Offer(s)	29/10/1997	WT/ACC/SPEC/OMN/4 (+ revisions, corrigenda & addendum)
Register of Bilateral Market Access Agreements		Register
Draft Goods Schedule	26/01/2000	WT/ACC/SPEC/OMN/8
Draft Services Schedule	25/01/2000	WT/ACC/SPEC/OMN/9 (+ corrigendum)
Goods and Services Technical Verification Meetings

IV. Accession Package (“Terms of Accession”, de-restricted)

Ministerial Conference/General Council Decision on the Accession	10/10/2000	WT/ACC/OMN/27
Protocol of Accession	10/10/2000	WT/ACC/OMN/28
Report of the Working Party	28/09/2000	WT/ACC/OMN/26
Goods Schedule (Schedule of Concessions and Commitments Annexed to the GATT 1994)	28/09/2000	WT/ACC/OMN/26/Add.1
Services Schedule (Schedule of Specific Commitments Annexed to the GATS)	29/09/2000	WT/ACC/OMN/26/Add.2

V. Instrument of Acceptance

Notification of Acceptance and Entry Into Force of the Protocol of Accession

10/10/2000

WT/LET/369

VI. Date of Membership: on the 09/11/2000, Oman became the 139th WTO member.

News item

VII. Since 1995, this is the 11th economy that joined the WTO pursuant to Article XII of the Marrakesh Agreement.

All documents on the accession of Oman in Documents Online by date of circulation

Note:

The de-restriction of documents is a key component of the transparency obligations of the Multilateral Trading System. Paragraphs 1 and 2(e) of the Ministerial Council Decision WT/L/452 of 14 May 2002 provide that “documents relating to working parties on accession shall be restricted and shall be automatically de-restricted upon the adoption of the report of the working party” by the Ministerial Conference/General Council. The time of completion of the de-restriction process depends on the amount and complexities of the documents involved. Prior to 2002, the de-restriction of accession-related documents was governed by a different set of rules (i.e. General Council Decision WT/L/160/Rev.1 of 26 July 1996), which only affect documents circulated prior to 2002.

Oman

Oman

Current status in the accession process

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