As directed by H.H. Hamdan bin Mohammed

UAE, November 29, 2021 – In line with the directives of His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and Chairman of the Executive Council, the General Secretariat of the Supreme Legislation Committee in the Emirate of Dubai (SLC)  recently hosted a workshop to review and assess the legislation enacted during the  pre-Covid-19 pandemic period.

Some 38 representatives of local government entities attended the SLC workshop titled ‘Project for Comprehensive Review and Evaluation of Legislation in Force in the Emirate of Dubai’ (Project). The workshop was organised as part of efforts to ensure improvement of the existing legislation, so it can cope with, and support, the development goals of Dubai and the UAE for the next 50 years.

The workshop held at the Emirates Towers was led by Essa Ahmad Ali Abdulla, Assistant Legal Advisor and Director of the SLC Legislation Directorate. During the gathering, the attendees discussed plans for examining and updating the provisions of some 1,020 pieces of legislation as part of the planned series of reviews and updates.

Subject to reviews and improvements are all types of legislative instruments, including laws, decrees, Executive Council resolutions, and administrative resolutions prescribing the requirements, conditions, and rules for conducting business activities in the Emirate of Dubai. A well-defined practical methodology, based on the principles of partnership and cooperation in government work, is being used to review the legislation in coordination with the SLC strategic partners from the concerned government entities, free zone authorities, and stakeholders from the private sector and other vital sectors.

Ahmad bin Meshar Al Muhairi, SLC Secretary General, said that the workshop demonstrated the SLC commitment to implementing the directives of H.H. Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and Chairman of the Executive Council. “The Project is being implemented under direct supervision by H.H. Sheikh Maktoum bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Deputy Ruler of Dubai and Chairman of the SLC. The legislative review and development process will help ensure that the legislation in force is agile enough to accommodate the UAE development needs in view of the country’s preparations for the next 50 years, in implementation of the wise leadership directives to make great achievements at record time.”, Al Muhairi elaborated.

Al Muhairi noted that the workshop served as a strategic platform for exploration of opportunities to improve the quality and efficiency of existing legislation, in support of the national efforts to create a viable legislative system that supports Dubai’s ambitious development plans. “This remarkable Project has been designed to enhance integration among government entities and strengthen public-private partnerships in the Emirate of Dubai. The review and improvement of the Dubai legislation in force will be done based on the priorities set in the UAE National Agenda 2021, and will ensure development of foresighted agile legislative system that meets the needs of the fast-paced present and accommodates the challenges and changes of the future era.”, he added.

“At the SLC, we take it upon ourselves to review the existing legislation, suggest improvements, and make recommendations in partnership with the concerned government entities. It is also within our mandate to prepare draft legislation that reflects Dubai’s policies and plans for submission to the central authorities and presentation to the stakeholders from the private sector. We always seek to identify challenges and opportunities when implementing improvements to the legislation in force. Our goal is to streamline processes, and alleviate conditions and requirements, especially those relating to business operations in Dubai,” said Al Muhairi, adding: “We are also committed to developing comprehensive, integrated, agile, and coherent legislation. These qualities are considered the pillars of a viable foresighted legislative system that is capable of supporting economic prosperity, boosting social welfare, and building a better tomorrow for future generations.” 

It is worth noting that the ‘Project’ action plan focuses on the revision of all the legislation in force, including laws, decrees, Executive Council resolutions, and administrative resolutions of government entities, whether or not published in the Government of Dubai Official Gazette. This includes revision of the provisions stipulated in the legislation in force, prescribing requirements and conditions; as well as the provisions vesting powers on entities to regulate and monitor all types of activities in Dubai. This is aimed to ensure that legislation is agile and consistent with the local government strategies and national agenda.

The Project plan is clearly structured to address prevailing legislative challenges. Among the identified challenges are the existence of certain legislation that does not cope with the present needs due to the rapid changes taking place in the UAE; and the absence of a clear mechanism to conduct the legislative impact assessment of such legislation, to determine their efficiency, to verify their ability to achieve the objectives for which they have been enacted; or to decide whether to update, amend, or even repeal such legislation.

The workshop participants welcomed the project as an important step towards overcoming other challenges relating to legislation, such as the lack of flexibility and transparency in exercising  supervisory and regulatory powers; the difficulty of amending some key legislation; the redundancy of requirements and controls; the need for more involvement of stakeholders from the private sector in drafting the legislation; and the overlapping of legislative instruments, leaving no room for the business community or the private sector to expand their operations.

At the end of the workshop, the participants emphasised the importance of coordination and cooperation in reviewing the proposed improvements to legislation to ensure their feasibility, and that they do not conflict with the government’s initiatives, policies, and strategic plans. They also pointed out the need for engaging stakeholders from the private sector in reviewing the proposed changes.  The participating entities stressed the importance of examining and discussing legislative drafts and their provisions, including the proposed improvements, in coordination with private sector stakeholders before submitting them to the SLC. This process would ensure the incorporation of all improvements and reflection of all relevant opinions.