MUSCAT: Traders and distributors in Oman can import products directly from the countries of their origin without any need for commercial agents and brokers.
In a statement issued on Thursday, the Ministry of Commerce and Industry (MoCI) said that all points of entries in the sultanate (road, air, and sea) possess capabilities to facilitate import of products from any country with the involvement of any commercial brokers.
Over the past three years, the ministry has cancelled all the provisions of an exclusive agent and it may be noted that all imported goods can be released from Omani ports within two hours with the establishment of a one-stop inspection station by Oman Customs.
This facility can be availed by all suppliers from large, small and medium enterprises and individuals to import directly and without restrictions.
Mubarak al Duhani, Director-General, MoCI, said the ministry in cooperation with the Gulf Standardisation Authority, has established an Omani conformity system, which examines products in the country of manufacture before importing them.
In the case of air-conditioners, the energy efficiency cards are issued before their import from the countries of production.
The same system will be made applicable to all electronic devices, electrical appliances.
The Director-General of Commerce said that as the industrial areas spread across the Sultanate have the capacity and ability to provide different distribution stores, the ministry urges merchants and suppliers to direct import without the involvement of any commercial agents.
The facilities provided by MoCI Ministry include grant permits with two hours under the East Invest system, infrastructure development at airports in Muscat - Suhar - Salalah - Duqm), ports, free zones, and energy efficiency cards for air conditioners imported directly from the place of manufacture.
It added that the most important development has the introduction of the Oman Conformity Verification System to ensure product safety, reduce time and cost for testing — simplification of customs clearance procedures for direct import.
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