Abu Dhabi’s Global Market has announced it is establishing an Arbitration Centre. It is expected to start operations in early 2018. The decision coincides with the decision of the International Commerce Chamber to open the first representative office in the Middle East in the Global Market by January 2018. The Centre will also offer training in settling disputes.
Abu Dhabi’s Economic Development Department has announced the enforcement of amendments to its penalties regime in line with Abu Dhabi Executive Council Decision No. 47/2017 on violations regarding businesses or establishments licenced for economic activities in line with Article 6 of Abu Dhabi Law No. 2/2009. The amendments follow repeated violations by establishments licenced for economic activities in the Emirate. The Department has called on all establishments to go through the amendments and comply with the relevant regulations to avoid penalties ranging from formal warnings and fines depending on the nature of the violation.
Dubai’s Crown Prince and Executive Council Chairman, Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum has issued a Decision to regulate the rental of buses, trucks, recreational vehicles, motorcycles and bicycles in the Emirate. It also aims to regulate the transporting of passengers, goods, valuables, packages, food and furniture by specialist companies. It applies to all relevant entities in Dubai, including those based in special development zones, free zones and the Dubai International Financial Centre. The Decision will be published in the Official Gazette and will come into effect 60 days after it has been published.
The UAE’s Finance Ministry has confirmed certain financial services, residential properties, bare land and local passenger transport will be exempt from VAT. The UAE is set to implement 5% VAT on 1 January 2018. Supplies, including sales or leases, of commercial properties will be taxable at the standard VAT rate of 5% percent but supplies of residential properties will generally be exempt from VAT. In addition, the first supply of newly-constructed residential properties within 3 years of their completion will be zero-rated for VAT purposes. VAT will also be charged at 0% for exports of goods and services outside the GCC and international transportation and related supplies. Supplies of certain sea, air and land transportation (like aircrafts and ships), certain investment grade precious metals (like gold or silver which reach 99% purity), supply of certain education services and supply of relevant goods and services and supply of certain healthcare services and supply of relevant goods and services will be taxed at 0%.
The UAE’s Economy Ministry has called on companies dealing with commercial partners in the EU to keep up with the new European public information protection legislation. The Assistant Undersecretary for the Ministry’s External Trading Sector, Joma Mohammed Alkait said the Ministry is issuing this call as part of its efforts to keep all companies informed on new developments in policies and legislations in the relevant markets in which they may have trading partners. The legislation will be implemented in May 2018 and is aimed at strengthening and protecting private personal information in the European Union. It will not only affect companies operating in European countries but also companies who have commercial and investment activities with European countries. Companies should reconcile their procedural and operational activities in line with the legislation.
Dubai’s Ruler, HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum has issued a Law to regulate civil organisations in the Emirate. Under the law, the organisations, which will be legally referred to as civil establishments will have to designate a specific financial allocation to cover the cost of their activities. The activities can be in the social, health, educational, cultural, scientific, occupational, creative, art or humanitarian fields. Each civil organisation must have at least 10 founders, including two Emiratis. No activity can be undertaken until the organisation is granted a licence by the Community Development Authority. Registration will include the organisation’s headquarters, geographical range, its purpose, activities and target groups, its member’s names and their nationalities, professions and residences.
Event licencing changes have been approved following an agreement between Abu Dhabi’s Tourism and Culture Authority and the General Command of the UAE Armed Forces. The agreement will establish an e-service for event licences to be obtained. It was signed for the Authority by its Director-General, Saif Saeed Ghobash and by the Head of Administration and Human Resources at the UAE’s Defence Ministry, Major General Salem Saeed Ghafan Al Jabri.
The Abu Dhabi Police have confirmed the amended Federal Traffic Law (Federal Law No 21/1995) has started to be implemented. It started to be implemented on 1 July in line with UAE Federal Ministerial Decision No. 177/2017 and UAE Federal Ministerial Decision No. 178/2017 on traffic control rules and procedures. Amongst the amendments, all drivers and passengers must wear seatbelts. If they don’t they will be fined 400 AED and incur four traffic points.
Abu Dhabi’s Economic Development Department has issued a Decision to form a committee to review patent registration requests. The Committee will be chaired by Khaled Mohamed Alkaabi. It will review and examine requests in line with directives and charters of the laws effective in the country and the Takamul Programme. The Programme is a Government programme to support inventors. The Committee will have to hold monthly meetings to examine requests and specify the financial rewards for approved requests.
The UAE’s Emirates Authority for Standardisation & Metrology has approved new regulations on the commercial and recreational use of drones in the country, including the free zones. The new rules include a surveillance system for detecting unmanned aerial vehicles in the country. The regulations are aimed at establishing a central system to monitor any drone activity in the UAE. Manufacturers will have to use a mandatory serial number. The regulations have been developed with the General Civil Aviation Administration, Telecommunications Regulatory Authority, Federal Customs Authority, Interior Ministry and Dubai Police General Command.
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