In brief The UAE has introduced a number of new welcome legislative changes to mark the UAE’s 50th anniversary, with the aim of solidifying the country’s position as a global trade and commercial hub. Among these changes is the issuance of Federal Law by Decree No. 32 of 2021 on Commercial Companies (“New Law”), which has now come into force last 2 January 2022. This alert serves as a reminder to all companies incorporated in…
In brief Earlier last week, Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the United Arab Emirates (UAE), issued a decree introducing a number of fundamental changes to the UAE Commercial Companies Law (CCL Amendment) and to the UAE’s approach towards foreign direct investment (FDI) in general. The CCL Amendment adopted a new general rule of, in principle, allowing foreign investors to fully own certain types of companies in the mainland of the UAE. The…
In brief The United Arab Emirates (UAE) recently issued Cabinet Resolution No. 58 of 2020 on the Regulation of the Procedures of the Real Beneficiary (the Resolution), which came into effect on 28 August 2020 and replaced Cabinet Resolution No. 34 of 2020 issued earlier this year. The Resolution aims to introduce the requirement for a beneficial ownership register in the UAE mainland and unify the minimum disclosure requirements for corporate entities incorporated in the…
In February 2020, the Chairman of the Securities and Commodities Authority (SCA) has issued Board Resolution No. (03/R.M) of 2020 which adopts the new Corporate Governance Guide for Public Joint-Stock Companies (the Resolution). The Resolution will come into force on 28 April 2020 and will repeal the previous SCA Chairman Resolution No. (7 R.M) of 2016 on the Standards of Institutional Discipline and Governance of Public Joint-Stock Companies. The Resolution introduces new corporate governance rules…
In September 2018, the UAE issued the Foreign Direct Investment Law (FDI Law) to open up the UAE mainland market to foreign investors in certain sectors of the economy. This was followed by the announcement on July 2019 of the relaxation of foreign ownership restrictions for 122 business activities, specifically in the manufacturing, agricultural and services categories (Positive List), pursuant to the FDI Law. On 17 March 2020, the UAE Cabinet issued Cabinet Resolution No.…