Strict norms on import of building materials

The Ministry of Commerce and Industry will begin applying new guidelines for companies responsible for importing building materials, including cement, steel and dyes, as part of the efforts to ensure the quality of buildings constructed in Oman. The guidelines will be enforced from February. The ministry, in the recent past, seized large quantities of imported building and construction materials, including cement, dyes and paints for non-conformity with standard specifications. This comes after many contractors and builders complained about defective and low-quality materials, which resulted in cracks in buildings. Dr Ahmed bin Salim al Shamakhi, director at the ministry, said that the Directorate-General for Standards and Metrology at the ministry, will amend the procedures for importing building materials in an effort to ensure the safety of imported products in the local market, indicating that the first phase of these procedures will be applied to cement products of all kinds, as well as rebar and paints. He said that regulations for inspection and testing of building material products stipulates that “the importer is obliged to submit a test report to the competent authority once a year provided that each consignment is accompanied by a conformity certificate. In the absence of such, the consignment is subject to examination and testing by a registered laboratory, with the importer bearing all costs of these procedures.” Al Shamakhi clarified that the importer is requested to submit a request to approve the release of the imported shipment through “Bayan”; the electronic customs data system of the Royal Oman Police, including the documents represented by the commercial registry, municipal licensing, manufacturer’s certificate of conformity, the importer’s certificate of conformity, in addition to a pledge from the importing company not to use the shipment until the inspection process is completed to ensure the safety of the product. He also confirmed that the ministry prohibits entry of any shipment of these products to the Sultanate except after being subjected to examination at one of the laboratories registered with the DG for Standards and Metrology. In case the product does not meet the standard specifications of the Sultanate, the shipment will be rejected, and the importer must re-export it to the country of origin.