Muscat: Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Investment Promotion MoCIIP is discussing plans to permit holding virtual and innovative exhibitions, as part of new amendments to the regulation for organizing and managing exhibitions
The Ministry stated that it is working on making new amendments to the regulation for organizing and managing exhibitions issued by Ministerial Resolution 182/2017, in order to give more facilities to the companies organizing exhibitions and conferences and to encourage them to expand and diversify the holding of exhibitions and conferences in the Sultanate and even attracting regional and international exhibitions, conferences, and events to the Sultanate.
The ministry added: "The new amendments to the regulations will contribute to more regulation of the exhibitions and conferences sector, which is one of the most important economic, social and cultural tools that contribute to encouraging and attracting investments in the various economic sectors in the country. The new amendments will also contribute to attracting exhibitions and conferences. And international and regional events to the Sultanate in line with the Sultanate’s regional and international obligations in many economic aspects and in line with the economic, commercial and investment changes and developments taking place in the Sultanate.
Embodying the partnership between the government and the private sector, the MoCIIP has coordinated with the Oman Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the Oman Center for Conferences and Exhibitions, the companies organizing exhibitions and conferences, and the private sector to express an opinion on projects and drafts of some of the regulations and laws related to the Ministry's competencies before their approval and issuance, in the belief of the Ministry that The private sector is concerned with these regulations and laws, so it must be a shareholder and partner in drawing and preparing them.
"The new amendments will include adding new types of exhibitions that will keep pace with the current economic and health conditions, which are virtual exhibitions that are organized through electronic platforms and applications, as well as innovative exhibitions, which are each trade fair that displays and sells different exhibits and services in an innovative way that differs from the rest Exhibitions stipulated in the current and amended regulations, and in the framework of facilitating the companies and reducing the requirements of the procedures for obtaining permits, the certificate of fulfillment required of the company will be canceled and the number of days to study the application will be reduced after submitting all the required document, " the Ministry added.
As for marketing (commercial) exhibitions, an item was added allowing the organizing company to sell directly to consumers only on the last day of the exhibition.
The Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Investment Promotion is keen to follow up on everything related to commercial activity in the Sultanate, and the impact of the current conditions and circumstances that the Sultanate and the countries of the world are going through as a result of the Coronavirus (Covid 19) pandemic. As part of ministry facilities to the investors the Ministry has also allowing companies that did not meet all the requirements to hold an exhibition by giving them the opportunity to set up one exhibition in exchange for a pledge to fulfill the deficiencies in case they wanted to hold another exhibition.
