Muscat: The Minister of Commerce, Industry, and Investment Promotion (MOCIIP) issued a decision 185/2024, regulating the activities related to the sale of LPG cylinders.
It may be noted that the MOCIIP will be responsible for regulating the sale of cylinders, and the prices of cylinders shall be determined in accordance with a decision issued by the Minister of Commerce, after the approval of the Ministry of Finance.
The decision will be effective 180 days after the date of its publication, on December 6.
The cooking gas consumers must pay a security deposit for the first time (from December 2024) and must receive a receipt for the amount paid.
Consumers should replace gas cylinders within a specific period of time (3 years after the decision is implemented)
The decision obligated the cylinder user to pay an insurance amount determined according to the type and capacity of the cylinder.
The insurance amount will range between RO5 and RO30, depending on the size of the LPG cylinder.
The user pays the amount to the person who sells the gas cylinder, and the seller delivers the amount to the person engaged in the filling activity, in his capacity as the owner of the cylinder.
The decision explained that it is possible to recover the insurance when the user returns the cylinder without obtaining another one. However, in the event that the cylinder is lost or misused, the insurance amount will be confiscated.
Packaging and sale of cylinders
The decision requires obtaining a license to practice the activities of filling and selling liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) cylinders.
The General Directorate of Industry at MOCIIP is responsible for following up on the licensee’s commitment to implementing the provisions of the regulation, controlling violations, and taking the necessary measures regarding them.
Procedures for obtaining a license:
A license to practice the activity of filling LPG cylinders is issued according to market needs, and the Ministry may reduce the quantity of LPG allocated to the licensee to fill cylinders whenever the public interest requires it.
The activity of filling liquefied petroleum gas cylinders (packages) and (containers) shall be practiced through two separate licenses in two independent locations.
Conditions
The license period shall be one year, and it may be renewed for another similar period or periods.
The licensee who is licensed to practice the activity of filling liquefied petroleum gas cylinders must practice the licensed activity within the geographical scope of the governorate specified in the license, must sell the cylinders to a licensed commercial facility (warehouse), and must not raise the selling price of the cylinder above its specified price.
The license is cancelled for not practicing the licensed activity for a period of six months from the date of obtaining the license without providing an excuse acceptable to the Directorate, repeating the same violation within one year from the imposition of the penalty, or obtaining the license through fraud, deception, forgery, or submitting incorrect documents or information.
