News
Policy updates, China–UAE developments, industry news and official Middle East travel alerts.
The UAE Federal Tax Authority requires businesses with annual revenues of Dh50 million or more to appoint an Accredited Service Provider by October 30, 2026. Failure to meet the deadline will result in an administrative penalty of Dh5,000 per month of delay. The mandate and associated penalty framework also apply to businesses registered in UAE free zones.
Luckin Coffee Inc. has appointed Philip Yifei Bao, Director of Private Equity China at Abu Dhabi's Mubadala Investment Company, to its board of directors. The appointment expands the Chinese coffee chain's board to ten members and deepens governance ties with the UAE sovereign wealth fund.
The UAE Federal Tax Authority published Decision No. 17 of 2026 setting conditions for recovering input tax on employee expenses. Entities may recover VAT on goods or services provided to employees under contractual obligations or documented policies. The guidance requires formal documentation and approval mechanisms ahead of VAT Executive Regulation amendments taking effect October 1, 2026.
Heightened US aviation sanctions under Operation Economic Outcast are forcing travelers toward land border crossings as foreign airports halt services for Iranian commercial flights. The secondary sanctions risk penalizing ground handling, fueling, and ticketing providers across regional routes including Oman, Iraq, Azerbaijan, and Georgia. The resulting air disruption has increased travel and accommodation costs while causing severe delays for business passengers and medical travel.
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