Thursday 14 / November / 2024
Muscat: Social media influencers and companies who wish to promote or market other products online will not have to pay any fees for procuring a mandatory licence.
This was clarified by a senior official at the Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Investment Promotion on Sunday following the announcement of new online regulations that will be implemented from March 24.
Speaking to Times of Oman, Azza bint Ibrahim Al Kindi, Director of the Commercial Affairs and E-Commerce Department at the Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Investment Promotion, said: “There will be no fees for the mandatory licence needed to practice marketing and promotional activities on websites and social media, currently.”
She added that companies who wish to promote their own products and services don’t require a licence. “But if they want to promote other companies or individuals they need one,” she added.
It may be mentioned that from March 24, 2023, the Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Investment Promotion will begin implementing the regulation regulating the practice of marketing and promotion activity on websites and social media, issued by Ministerial Resolution No. (619/2022) on December 25, 2022.
Azza Al Kindi said: “There will be no taxes applicable on the licence holders and one licence can be utilised for employing multiple social media influencers to promote their activities.”
She added that any expatriate company or individuals can come to Oman and promote their products and services but will have to establish their own company and get a licence to start his or her activities in the Sultanate of Oman.
Azza Al Kindi also clarified that the new regulations will not be applicable on home business owners and street vendors.
The regulation aims to regulate the marketing and promotion of all products, goods and services through social media.
This is in order to protect the merchant and the consumer, provide the necessary protection for e-commerce transactions and preserve the rights of dealers.
Azza Al Kindi said the method for obtaining a license for the “marketing and promotion on websites and social media” activity is by entering the “Invest Easy” portal, through self-service or service delivery centres, creating a new commercial register or choosing an active commercial register, then choosing the Tarakhees service, permits of commercial registry, choosing the activity, filling out the data and attaching the documents, as well as choosing the license period, which ranges from one to three years.
Azza Al Kindi added that companies and commercial establishments that deal with unlicensed promoters and advertisers will face a fine not exceeding OMR1,000, suspension of licence for a period not exceeding a year and cancellation of licence after a warning.
