Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Vice President and Ruler of Dubai, announced new government centre ratings on Saturday.
Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Vice President and Ruler of Dubai, announced new government centre ratings on Saturday.
Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Vice President and Ruler of Dubai, announced new government centre ratings on Saturday.
Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Vice President and Ruler of Dubai, announced new government centre ratings on Saturday.

Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid announces new government service centre ratings


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Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Vice President and Ruler of Dubai, has praised the best-performing government service centres as new rankings were announced on Saturday.

Sheikh Mohammed said of the 69 facilities assessed, 14 had improved their rankings.

He highlighted Fujairah Traffic and Licensing Centre and the branch of the Federal Authority for Identity and Citizenship for achieving the highest rating in the latest round of inspections, at six stars.

Sheikh Mohammed called on centres that secured only three stars - the lowest in the Emirates - to raise their performances.

The UAE Government introduced a star rating system - grading from two stars to seven - in 2012 as part of a drive to boost the quality of services provided to the public.

The Ruler of Dubai has long championed efforts to enhance customer service standards across the country.

He has frequently carried out unexpected inspections of government offices to ensure high expectations are being met.

In 2019, Sheikh Mohammed announced the five top and five poorest performing centres in the country following an extensive study that examined 600 government service providers across the Emirates.

Employees at the best centres were given two-month salary bonuses as a reward.

Senior managers at failing centres were dismissed, with Sheikh Mohammed saying they would be “replaced by managers who know how to deal with customers”.

The previous year he carried out an inspection of Dubai International Airport and called on officials to "raise the bar" in welcoming travellers and simplifying procedures for people flying in and out of the UAE.

In 2016, Sheikh Mohammed toured Dubai's Land Department and the Department of Economic Development, finding empty desks on the morning staff were due to return to work after a long weekend.





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

The burning issue

The internal combustion engine is facing a watershed moment – major manufacturer Volvo is to stop producing petroleum-powered vehicles by 2021 and countries in Europe, including the UK, have vowed to ban their sale before 2040. The National takes a look at the story of one of the most successful technologies of the last 100 years and how it has impacted life in the UAE. 

Read part four: an affection for classic cars lives on

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Read part one: how cars came to the UAE

 

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PREMIER LEAGUE RESULTS

Bournemouth 1 Manchester City 2
Watford 0 Brighton and Hove Albion 0
Newcastle United 3 West Ham United 0
Huddersfield Town 0 Southampton 0
Crystal Palace 0 Swansea City 2
Manchester United 2 Leicester City 0
West Bromwich Albion 1 Stoke City 1
Chelsea 2 Everton 0
Tottenham Hotspur 1 Burnley 1
Liverpool 4 Arsenal 0

Bahrain%20GP
%3Cp%3EFriday%20qualifying%3A%207pm%20(8pm%20UAE)%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3ESaturday%20race%3A%207pm%20(UAE)%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3ETV%3A%20BeIN%20Sports%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
%20Ramez%20Gab%20Min%20El%20Akher
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UPI facts

More than 2.2 million Indian tourists arrived in UAE in 2023
More than 3.5 million Indians reside in UAE
Indian tourists can make purchases in UAE using rupee accounts in India through QR-code-based UPI real-time payment systems
Indian residents in UAE can use their non-resident NRO and NRE accounts held in Indian banks linked to a UAE mobile number for UPI transactions

Pearls on a Branch: Oral Tales
​​​​​​​Najlaa Khoury, Archipelago Books

Updated: August 14, 2021, 9:24 AM