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's new Civil Transactions Law (Federal Decree-Law No. 25 of 2025), which took effect on 1 June 2026, renumbered and codified key provisions on force majeure and hardship. Force majeure is now governed by Article 236 and hardship by Article 224, requiring parties to establish actual impossibility rather than mere commercial difficulty. London Business News reports that businesses contracting under UAE onshore law, including in free zones such as Meydan Free Zone, should adjust their contractual terms and notice procedures.
Under Dubai regulations, employers must maintain an employee's health insurance coverage for 30 days following visa cancellation or until the individual departs the UAE, whichever occurs first. Outside Dubai, there is no standardized federal rule, leaving coverage duration during residency grace periods subject to employer discretion and policy terms. Dubai law requires all employers, including free zone entities, to secure health coverage through Dubai Health Authority-authorized providers.
Abu Dhabi's Financial Services Regulatory Authority (FSRA) is monitoring cryptocurrency exchange Binance following an unauthorized withdrawal incident involving approximately $6.3 billion in digital assets. The regulator said it is engaging closely with Binance to protect clients and ensure market integrity. Binance confirmed that roughly $3 billion has been frozen and committed to covering all losses.
The UAE Federal Tax Authority has overhauled VAT refund procedures for citizens building new homes under the Zero Government Bureaucracy Programme. The update reduces application data fields by 50% and processing times by 80%. A dedicated smart application called 'Maskan' was also launched to verify claims.
Federal Tax Authority
United Arab Emirates
Final rule
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