Understand the policies, laws and regulations shaping business across China and the UAE.
Business registration · Investment · Taxation · Customs · Trade · Financial regulation · Employment · Visas · Free-zone policies. Every update identifies the issuing authority, jurisdiction, publication date, effective date and official source.
The UAE Ministry of Economy and Tourism reviewed Cabinet Resolution No. 136 of 2026 granting industrial property fee exemptions. Implemented on 14 September 2026, the resolution provides full fee waivers for 29 specific industrial property services. Additional exemptions apply to student inventors and People of Determination across select patent and design procedures.
The UAE introduced and updated several key regulations in October covering electronic invoicing, shared housing, food standards, child photography, and penalties law amendments. Notable measures include Ministry of Finance accreditation requirements for e-invoicing providers and strict room occupancy rules under Dubai's Law No. 4 of 2026. Violations across these domains carry severe sanctions, including fines of up to Dh1 million, business suspensions, and licence cancellations.
UAE Ministry of Finance / Dubai Government / UAE Federal Government
High-net-worth individuals are increasingly establishing cross-border residence portfolios rather than fully relocating their primary homes, according to an analysis in CEOWORLD magazine. Data from Henley & Partners recorded a 41% rise in inquiries from UAE-based clients between late 2025 and early 2026 as residents seek multi-jurisdiction optionality. The investment migration firm has also moved away from headline millionaire migration forecasts to focus on sovereign residency diversification.
The UAE ranked 46th globally and second in the Arab world with an overall score of 7.42 out of 10 in the Fraser Institute's Economic Freedom of the World 2026 Annual Report. The country led the Gulf in legal systems and property rights as well as international trade freedom. Bahrain ranked first in the region at 40th globally.
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