The Commander-in-Chief of Dubai Police, Major General Abdullah Khalifa Al Marri has announced they have launched an eCRIME online platform to receive cyber crime reports from the public. The www.ecrime.ae website has been launched as part of the Dubai 2021 Plan. It will allow any suspicious online activity to be reported by online users.
Dubai’s Land Department has announced it has approved a new mortgage and finance law. The aim is to boost investment and the number of listed companies in the Emirate as well as make more financing tools available and update financial mechanisms in the Emirate’s property sector. It is part of a series of initiatives following the directives of Dubai’s Crown Prince and Executive Council Chairman, Sheikh Hamdan. These initiatives fall under the Dubai Plan 2021 umbrella.
This week the spotlight is on legal developments in Dubai, where the Emirate’s Ruler has issued a Law to regulate volunteering in the Emirate. Dubai Law No 5/2018 will regulate volunteering activities and it is hoped will also promote social responsibility, stimulate positive social engagement and encourage people to serve their communities. Under the Law, Dubai’s Community Development Authority will establish, implement and oversee the plans and policies required to regulate volunteering in the Emirate. They will also encourage the public and private sectors to sponsor volunteering programmes and conduct awareness programmes about the importance of volunteering in community development.
In addition, the Authority will coordinate volunteering programmes, establish a volunteer’s database in the Emirate, issue identification cards for volunteers and participation certificates for volunteers. They will help entities attract volunteers for their initiatives and nominate volunteers to participate in volunteering initiatives based on their skills and qualifications. Entities sponsoring or conducting volunteering initiatives will have to be authorised by the Authority. Volunteers will be able to form teams to participate collectively in volunteering programmes in the Emirate on the condition the team has registered itself in the Authority’s database and obtained all of the necessary permits from the Authority. The volunteer teams will not be allowed to conduct any fundraising activities, including advertising through any kind of media, unless they are approved by the Authority. Public and private entities engaged in volunteering activities will have to define the standards and regulations governing their volunteering activities and provide a copy of these standards and regulations to the Authority. They should also specify the category and nature of the volunteering activity and if necessary train volunteers to perform the work. The entities must maintain a record with the volunteers’ names, personal information, the nature of work they have done and the hours of volunteering work they have done. They should also register this information in the Authority’s database. They must also provide all required tools and safety equipment necessary for the volunteers to perform their activities. In addition, the entities must provide insurance coverage against injuries, contagion and civil liabilities. All volunteers must sign the volunteering agreement issued by the Authority and this agreement must detail the relationship between the volunteer and the entity.
Under the Law, the volunteer must be over 18. Volunteers under 18 must be approved by their legal guardian. The volunteer must have a record of good conduct, be physically fit and be registered as a volunteer with the Authority. Volunteers must commit to their obligations according to the volunteering agreement and respect confidentiality. The sponsoring entity is responsible for all volunteering activities and efforts carried out by the volunteers. The Authority’s Director-General will form a Volunteers Affairs Committee to look into any complaints or litigation related to volunteering agreements. All sponsoring entities, volunteer teams and individuals must comply with the Law. The Law will be published in the Official Gazette and will come into effect on its published date.
The UAE’s Federal National Council has approved a draft anti-begging law. Anyone found guilty of begging will be jailed for three months and fined 5,000 AED. However able-bodied offenders and those with a traceable income will be punished more severely. People who run organised, mafia-like criminal groups of beggars will be jailed for at least six months and fined at least 100,000 AED as will those who bring in people to run organised begging. Those forced into begging by these mafia-like criminal groups will be jailed for three months and fined 5,000 AED. Courts may order any money and other proceeds from begging be confiscated.
Abu Dhabi’s Global Market Courts has announced it has launched an ePortal together with Microsoft. It is hoped it will revolutionise the delivery of civil and commercial judicial dispute resolution services and transform the way courts interact with lawyers, litigants and other legal professionals. It is also hoped it will save parties time in litigation. The Integrated eCourt Platform provides a comprehensive, digital court record and will enable users to initiate, manage and monitor their cases 24/7, from anywhere in the world, through any device they choose. They will be able to file documents and receive text message notifications about their case’s progress and digital court file changes. Electronic evidence bundles will be included in the court file at no additional cost to any party and court hearings will be conducted through video conferencing which will be accessible through an integrated calendar. The Platform will also provide a secure payment gateway for clients and lawyers, with immediate access to invoices and receipts and instantaneous publication of orders and judgments on cases.
Ras al Khaimah’s Government has announced it has formally established the Emirate’s Petroleum Authority. The Government has also announced they have officially launched the Emirate’s first petroleum licensing round which will be supported by the Emirate’s Oil Company, RAK Gas. Bids will be invited until November 2018 and data rooms cam be reserved in the Emirate and London. The Authority will be responsible for the licensing round tendering process and the management of petroleum rights.
Abu Dhabi City’s Municipality has urged all contractors to register their property units as early as possible. The Municipality has also called on property owners to respond to property developer requests regarding their updated details and documents. The Municipality’s calls follow the issuing of Abu Dhabi Circular No. 2/2018 which gave all property developers until 14 March 2018 to complete any outstanding cases and register all property deals in the Municipality’s Property Register. The aim is to facilitate the implementation of the Emirate’s Real Estate Law (Abu Dhabi Law No. 3/2015) which came into force on 1 January 2016.
Following the launch of a new National Family Policy, the UAE’s Community Development Minister, Hessa Bint Eisa Bu Humaid has announced a draft paternity leave law is under consideration. As part of the policy there are 36 initiatives which have been implemented between the Federal and local authorities. These initiatives cover educational programmes, consultations and training and are part of the UAE Vision 2021 and UAE Centennial Strategy 2071.
Abu Dhabi’s authorities have dissolved the Abu Dhabi Water & Electricity Authority and transferred its assets and functions to a new Energy Department. The Regulation & Supervision Bureau, which oversees water, waste water and electricity in the Emirate has also become part of the new Energy Department. The change came into effect on 20 February 2018. It is part of a consolidation of state-owned bodies and follows Abu Dhabi’s Ruler issuing a series of laws establishing a number of government departments for the Emirate, including the Department of Energy last month.
This week the spotlight is on employment law developments in the UAE, where the country’s Human Resources and Emiratisation Ministry has announced it has issued a Decision allowing companies to hire employees on a part-time basis. It is hoped the change will create a more flexible labour market in the country and reduce the country’s dependency on expatriate employees. However, a part-time contract cannot be changed into a full-time contract unless it is terminated first. Under the Decision, part-time employees must work no more than eight hours a day and have at least one day off a week. Employees will also be able to work in first and second level skilled jobs for more than one employer providing they have obtained Ministry approval. They will not need the approval of either their original or new employer.
Elsewhere, according to local newspaper reports, the application of the Good Conduct Certificate requirement has been extended. It now applies to existing workers in the country who are switching jobs regardless of their length of service. This dispels rumours in February 2018 the requirement would not apply to this category. It means Filipino and Indonesian domestic workers are now the only ones exempt from the requirement.
