His Majesty Sultan Haithem Bin Tarek established the Court of Investment and Commerce (the CIC) vial Royal Decree 35/2025 issued on 23 March 2025. The CIC is expected to begin operations commencing on 1 October 2025 and aligns with wider national infrastructural expansion to strengthen the investment climate and streamline legal processes.
A strategic move, the establishment of the CIC supports the core pillars of Oman Vision 2040 which emphasises economic diversification, judicial efficiency, and the creation of a business-friendly environment for both local and international investors.
The CIC has wide jurisdiction, with the expectation that this will alleviate pressure from other courts more generally, and also allow commercial specialist judges to consider these matters in particular. The CIC will specialise in adjudicating disputes involving merchants, commercial assets, and investment contracts. Its jurisdiction encompasses cases related to:
- Disputes between business partners, shareholders, and companies, including public joint-stock companies.
- Commercial assets and foreign capital investments.
- Banking operations, financial securities, and insurance matters (automobile insurance).
- Maritime sales and economic activities.
The CIC will also look at cases with more general commercial activity, such as cases related to patents, trade secrets, general intellectual property right, competition law, e-commerce and public-private partnership contracts.
To enhance efficiency, the court will implement several procedural reforms:
- Case Preparation Office: A dedicated office comprising judges and legal assistants will review case files to ensure all legal procedures are met before they reach the court.
- Electronic Case Management: An electronic system will facilitate the exchange of pleadings and supporting documents prior to submission before the relevant judge, expediting the litigation process.
- Specialised Judicial Cadre: The court will be staffed by judges drawn from the Supreme Court, Courts of Appeal, and Courts of First Instance, ensuring expertise in commercial and investment matters.
Regarding ongoing cases, those that have been filed before the CIC's operation commencement date (1 October 2025) that fall under its jurisdiction will continue to be handled by that respective court. When the Court begins to operate under its full legal mandate, we may then see some of these existing cases being transferred to the CIC.
The emphasis on innovation, such as the use of a fully electronic system for case management and possibility of remote hearing participation will also further assist to alleviate pressure on the judicial system and reduce delays, and more generally displays Oman's commitment to modernisation in all aspects of its economy, in line with Vision 2040.
