‘Law gives foreign investors incentives and guarantees’
“This requirement helps establish commercial companies in a short time and that will raise the level of the Sultanate on the international stage. In addition, the law gives the foreign investor the right to enjoy all the benefits, incentives and guarantees that are available to projects that are set up in the nation,” he added.
“Here, according to the law, foreign investors can receive preferential treatment if they choose to set up an investment project of a huge skill that will meet the strategic and economic requirements of the state.”
Article 19 of the law stipulates that the relevant authorities will coordinate with the ministries and other bodies concerned to determine the sites allocated in each governorate to establish investment projects. It shall also coordinate with the competent authorities to provide public services such as water, electricity, gas, sewage, public roads, communications and others services, limited only to those that are required by the project.
“These incentives were not available in the previous law, Al Badi said. “For example, if the investor identifies a specific location for the project, which however is not among the sites allocated for investment, and it has been confirmed that it can only succeed if set up on this particular piece of land, once a study of its economic feasibility has been carried out, it is necessary to provide land in that location and the investment centre to address the concerned parties about this step.”
Guarantees to investors
“When an investor wants to come and start investing in the Sultanate, of course he will need all of this have all these services and infrastructure available on site,” Al Badi confirmed. The law establishes many guarantees that secure the rights of investors. No investment project may be confiscated or its assets taken, frozen, seized or guarded, except by a court order. The tax debt owed to the State is exempt. Subject to the laws in force in the Sultanate, the foreign investor is free to make all transfers related to the investment project to/from the Sultanate at any time.”
“The investment project may not be expropriated, unless it is in the public benefit to do so, and only once fair compensation has been provided without delay,” he went on to say. “The competent authorities may not cancel the approval, licences or permits issued for the investment project except by a reasoned decision after giving the foreign investor a written warning of the violation attributed to him, hearing his point of view, and giving him a period not exceeding thirty days from the date of his warning, to remove the reasons for the violation. The opinion of the ministry must be taken before the approval, license or permit is revoked.”