MUSCAT – The decision, issued by His Excellency Dr. Saud bin Hamoud bin Ahmed Al Habsi, Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Water Resources, is based on the Food Safety Law (Royal Decree No. 84/2008) and the Ministry’s updated mandate under Royal Decree No. 92/2020.

The resolution adds a new provision, Article (30) bis, to the Food Safety Regulations (originally issued by Ministerial Resolution No. 2/2010), granting the competent authority the power to conduct pre-licensing verification of food products.

Article (30) bis states: “The competent authority may, before issuing the license stipulated in Article (30) of these regulations, verify the health and manufacturing practices of the food product, and the Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP) system applied in the food facility and evaluate them in the country of export or the country of origin, and the importer or exporter, or both, shall bear all expenses incurred by the competent authority in this regard.”

The decision stipulates that all associated expenses for such verifications will be borne by either the importer, the exporter, or both.

Article Two of the decision clarifies that any existing provisions contradicting or conflicting with this new decision will be cancelled. Article Three mandates its publication in the Official Gazette, with immediate effect from the day following its publication.