THE HAGUE, 07/10/09 - The Netherlands and Oman have signed a bilateral tax treaty.

Finance State Secretary Jan Kees de Jager signed the treaty, which avoids double taxation being levied on incomes and capital gains, with Oman's Finance Minister Macki in Muscat. The treaty is also intended to prevent tax evasion and to provide for the exchange of information in the tax area.

The tax treaty, which has to be ratified by both countries, dovetails with the Netherlands' efforts to expand its network of treaties in the Middle East region, according to De Jager, who is also visiting Dubai and Abu Dhabi in a five-day trip. He began the trip in Qatar.