Mobile phone and laptop owners in the UAE will soon be able to get money when they hand their devices in for recycling rather than throwing them away.
The Ministry of Climate Change and Environment has launched a trial project with Tadweer Group that will see manufacturers and producers of electronic devices paying a fee to make them more accountable for how phones are disposed of.
It is expected that this fee will be passed on to consumers. However, the cost will be refunded if a person hands in their device for recycling at a designated centre taking part in the scheme launched today.
At the signing ceremony, Dr Amna Al Dahak, Minister of Climate Change and Environment, said the agreement was a step towards “sustainable environmental solutions” that will ensure "the safe, long-term disposal of waste, and protects the right of future generations to live in a clean, pollution-free environment".
The initiative is part of the UAE’s Integrated Waste Management Agenda 2023–2026 and targets specific waste, including electrical and electronic equipment, batteries and packaging. If successful, the scheme could lay the groundwork for a nationwide transition to a circular economy – one in which products are reused, repaired, and recycled instead of discarded.
Sara Jackson, secretary general of the Circular Packaging Association, said that, if implemented, this could be a leading model for the Middle East. "We know from a study that was done in 2021 that around 15 per cent of UAE households actually practice recycling," explained Ms Jackson. "So there is a significant opportunity in terms of consumer awareness and education."
"We'll start small, but it will gather momentum in order to reach the kinds of targets that we see in Europe, where 90 per cent of some materials are actually diverted from landfill and reused in the circular economy."
Global waste is projected to reach 3.8 billion tonnes by 2050, growing more than twice as fast as the global population.
Recycling rates and infrastructure gaps
Much of the waste generated across the UAE currently ends up in landfill but authorities in Abu Dhabi have been increasing efforts to tackle waste over the past few years. Abu Dhabi-based waste management and recycling services company Tadweer previously said it was aiming to divert 80 per cent of waste from landfills by 2030.
Thursday's signing of an agreement on Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) between MOCCAE and Tadweer – the Abu Dhabi-based waste management giant – commits both parties to temporarily operate the pilot in Abu Dhabi and Dubai. Its central aim is to test the viability of a system where producers are obliged to take some responsibility for what happens to their products when a consumer is finished with it.
Ali Al Dhaheri, chief executive of the Tadweer Group, said the pilot marks a shift away from linear waste models in which responsibility ends at the point of sale. “By piloting an EPR model, we are laying the foundation for a more accountable and resource-efficient waste management system," he said. “We will explore invaluable learning that will inform future strategies focused on EPR, ensuring a seamless transition to a model that benefits the environment, businesses, and our community.”
EPR is widely considered an essential component of sustainable waste management. Under the model, companies are required to finance the collection, recycling, or safe disposal of the waste generated by their products. Countries such as the UK, Germany, and South Korea have implemented EPR for various product categories, resulting in improved recycling rates and reduced environmental harm.
While the fee on products will be finalised at the end of the six-month pilot, Mr Al Dhaheri told The National it will be similar to others implemented globally.
Ten tax points to be aware of in 2026
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
Zayed Sustainability Prize
MATCH INFO
Uefa Champions League semi-final, first leg
Bayern Munich v Real Madrid
When: April 25, 10.45pm kick-off (UAE)
Where: Allianz Arena, Munich
Live: BeIN Sports HD
Second leg: May 1, Santiago Bernabeu, Madrid
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The five pillars of Islam
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: HyperSpace
Started: 2020
Founders: Alexander Heller, Rama Allen and Desi Gonzalez
Based: Dubai, UAE
Sector: Entertainment
Number of staff: 210
Investment raised: $75 million from investors including Galaxy Interactive, Riyadh Season, Sega Ventures and Apis Venture Partners
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Who's who in Yemen conflict
Houthis: Iran-backed rebels who occupy Sanaa and run unrecognised government
Yemeni government: Exiled government in Aden led by eight-member Presidential Leadership Council
Southern Transitional Council: Faction in Yemeni government that seeks autonomy for the south
Habrish 'rebels': Tribal-backed forces feuding with STC over control of oil in government territory
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The years Ramadan fell in May
Try out the test yourself
Q1 Suppose you had $100 in a savings account and the interest rate was 2 per cent per year. After five years, how much do you think you would have in the account if you left the money to grow?
a) More than $102
b) Exactly $102
c) Less than $102
d) Do not know
e) Refuse to answer
Q2 Imagine that the interest rate on your savings account was 1 per cent per year and inflation was 2 per cent per year. After one year, how much would you be able to buy with the money in this account?
a) More than today
b) Exactly the same as today
c) Less than today
d) Do not know
e) Refuse to answer
Q4 Do you think that the following statement is true or false? “Buying a single company stock usually provides a safer return than a stock mutual fund.”
a) True
b) False
d) Do not know
e) Refuse to answer
The “Big Three” financial literacy questions were created by Professors Annamaria Lusardi of the George Washington School of Business and Olivia Mitchell, of the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania.
Answers: Q1 More than $102 (compound interest). Q2 Less than today (inflation). Q3 False (diversification).
