Friday, March 29, 2024 | Ramadan 18, 1445 H
clear sky
weather
OMAN
25°C / 25°C
EDITOR IN CHIEF- ABDULLAH BIN SALIM AL SHUEILI

Selective tax to promote healthy lifestyle

minus
plus

Muscat, March 13 - Selective Tax will be levied on prices of tobacco and its derivatives (100 per cent), energy drinks (100 per cent); alcoholic beverages (100 per cent); pork (100 per cent) and carbonated soft drinks (50 per cent), according the government communications centre. Energy drinks means any beverages, which may contain stimulants or give mental or physical stimulus. The Budget 2019 had indicated introducing the selective tax on certain commodities to revitalise non-oil revenues. The statement said an increase in the prices of goods that come under the selective tax before its date of implementation will be considered as an offence.


Any case of increase in the prices of these products before the law comes into force can be reported at the Public Authority for Consumer Protection (PACP) via Hotline (80079009 or 80077997).


The Selective Commodity Tax Law comes as a result of the GCC Standard Agreement on Selective Tax, issued in 2016.


This tax shall be levied on goods that pose risks to public health or the environment in varying proportions.


Why selective tax?


Selective taxation seeks to achieve a set of objectives, the most important of which is to encourage a healthy lifestyle through changes in the consumption pattern of individuals.


It is also aimed at raising additional revenues, which can be used to promote health and social services.


The National Health Survey (NHS), conducted by the Ministry of Health and covered more than 9,000 people, revealed a number of risk factors affecting health and society.


There has been an increase in the proportion of people with diabetes during the last ten years (from 2008 to 2018) to more than three per cent, and the survey points to the addition of more than 7,500 diabetes patients in the Sultanate annually.


The survey also revealed that 8.5 per cent of adults aged 18 years or over are currently using or smoking tobacco. More Omani males are getting exposed to secondhand smoke at home or at work.


On May 31, 2018, the Council of Ministers referred the draft law to the Council of Oman. The State Council and Majlis Ash’shura approved the draft law and submitted it to the Supreme Court in July 2018.


The two councils held a joint session to discuss and approve the articles of disagreement in


November 2.


— With inputs from ONA


SHARE ARTICLE
arrow up
home icon