Abu Dhabi launched the "Made in Abu Dhabi" campaign to promote national products manufactured in the emirate. Mona Al Marzooqi / The National.
Abu Dhabi launched the "Made in Abu Dhabi" campaign to promote national products manufactured in the emirate. Mona Al Marzooqi / The National.
Abu Dhabi launched the "Made in Abu Dhabi" campaign to promote national products manufactured in the emirate. Mona Al Marzooqi / The National.
Abu Dhabi launched the "Made in Abu Dhabi" campaign to promote national products manufactured in the emirate. Mona Al Marzooqi / The National.

Abu Dhabi to promote local products through new campaign


Fareed Rahman
  • English
  • Arabic

Abu Dhabi rolled out a new initiative to promote locally-made products in an effort to achieve self sufficiency in the production of basic goods.

The campaign, called Made in Abu Dhabi, will have an Instagram page through which it will allow local businesses to display their products, Abu Dhabi Department of Economic Development (Added), said on Monday.

The campaign "aims to enhance the reputation of national products within the local market, followed by regional and global markets”, Mohammed Al Shorafa, chairman of Added, said.

The move is part of Abu Dhabi's efforts to support local manufacturers, especially small and medium enterprises, to expand their business.

Earlier this month, it introduced a Dh6 billion supply chain financing initiative to provide liquidity to SMEs operating in the healthcare sector.

Abu Dhabi is also allowing industrial firms to conduct additional activities on their licences.

“Added’s interest in supporting national manufacturers and encouraging them to expand their businesses and investments within the various sectors of industrial and agricultural production, including SMEs … will help to attract more domestic investors and encourage entrepreneurship in Abu Dhabi,” he said.

Abu Dhabi, which accounts for about 6 per cent of the world’s proven oil reserves, rolled out many stimulus packages last year to support its private sector following the outbreak of Covid-19 in March.

Relief measures included rent rebates, discounts on utility bills and loan guarantee packages for businesses to help them cope with the coronavirus-linked economic challenges.

Abu Dhabi will also incentivise manufactures who display the ‘Made in Abu Dhabi’ campaign logo on their products, the statement said.

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Best Coach: Gian Piero Gasperini (Atalanta)
Best Referee: Gianluca Rocchi
Best Goal: Fabio Quagliarella (Sampdoria vs Napoli)
Best Team: Atalanta​​​​​​​
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1. Domestic VAT refund amendments: request your refund within five years

If a business does not apply for the refund on time, they lose their credit.

2. E-invoicing in the UAE

Businesses should continue preparing for the implementation of e-invoicing in the UAE, with 2026 a preparation and transition period ahead of phased mandatory adoption. 

3. More tax audits

Tax authorities are increasingly using data already available across multiple filings to identify audit risks. 

4. More beneficial VAT and excise tax penalty regime

Tax disputes are expected to become more frequent and more structured, with clearer administrative objection and appeal processes. The UAE has adopted a new penalty regime for VAT and excise disputes, which now mirrors the penalty regime for corporate tax.

5. Greater emphasis on statutory audit

There is a greater need for the accuracy of financial statements. The International Financial Reporting Standards standards need to be strictly adhered to and, as a result, the quality of the audits will need to increase.

6. Further transfer pricing enforcement

Transfer pricing enforcement, which refers to the practice of establishing prices for internal transactions between related entities, is expected to broaden in scope. The UAE will shortly open the possibility to negotiate advance pricing agreements, or essentially rulings for transfer pricing purposes. 

7. Limited time periods for audits

Recent amendments also introduce a default five-year limitation period for tax audits and assessments, subject to specific statutory exceptions. While the standard audit and assessment period is five years, this may be extended to up to 15 years in cases involving fraud or tax evasion. 

8. Pillar 2 implementation 

Many multinational groups will begin to feel the practical effect of the Domestic Minimum Top-Up Tax (DMTT), the UAE's implementation of the OECD’s global minimum tax under Pillar 2. While the rules apply for financial years starting on or after January 1, 2025, it is 2026 that marks the transition to an operational phase.

9. Reduced compliance obligations for imported goods and services

Businesses that apply the reverse-charge mechanism for VAT purposes in the UAE may benefit from reduced compliance obligations. 

10. Substance and CbC reporting focus

Tax authorities are expected to continue strengthening the enforcement of economic substance and Country-by-Country (CbC) reporting frameworks. In the UAE, these regimes are increasingly being used as risk-assessment tools, providing tax authorities with a comprehensive view of multinational groups’ global footprints and enabling them to assess whether profits are aligned with real economic activity. 

Contributed by Thomas Vanhee and Hend Rashwan, Aurifer

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