News
Dubai has announced a landmark expansion of the Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC) with the launch of the DIFC Zabeel District, a Dh100 billion development that will more than double the size of the financial free zone. Beyond its physical scale, the project represents a significant strengthening of Dubai’s legal, regulatory, and dispute-resolution framework underpinning international business activity in the emirate. […]
ATB Research Team · 7 Feb 2026 · 4 minRead →
News
Dubai International Financial Centre’s (DIFC) record growth in 2025 reflects not only rising commercial activity but also the continued strength of its legal and regulatory architecture, which has become a key factor attracting global financial institutions to Dubai. The centre added more than 2,500 new firms during the year, taking the total number of active registered […]
ATB Research Team · 7 Feb 2026 · 3 minRead →
News
Update, October 2026: This post describes the India–US announcement of early February 2026; no agreement has been signed since, and the 18% US tariff announced then was never applied. For the current position, see India–US trade deal (2026): status, tariffs and what is legally in force. Why the India–US announcement mattered On 2nd February 2026, India […]
Vipul Kulshreshtha · 4 Feb 2026 · 6 minRead →
News
The Dubai Financial Services Authority (DFSA) has imposed a financial penalty of US$455,176 (approximately Dh1.67 million) on Ed Broking (MENA) Limited, a reinsurance brokerage operating in the Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC), for engaging in misleading and deceptive conduct in the course of its business. The enforcement action underscores the DFSA’s strict stance on transparency, integrity, and proper disclosure within the DIFC’s regulated […]
ATB Research Team · 4 Feb 2026 · 3 minRead →
News
The UAE Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation (MoHRE) has issued a firm compliance reminder to private sector employers: no individual may legally work in the UAE without a valid work permit issued through official channels. The announcement reinforces the country’s labour law framework and signals continued strict enforcement against illegal or improperly structured employment […]
ATB Research Team · 3 Feb 2026 · 3 minRead →
News
Dubai’s announcement of the DIFC Zabeel District is not only a milestone in urban and financial development but also a significant evolution in the emirate’s legal and regulatory ecosystem. The expansion of the Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC) is set to reshape the legal landscape governing financial services, innovation sectors, and cross-border business operations in the region. […]
ATB Research Team · 30 Jan 2026 · 4 minRead →
News
The UAE has introduced a landmark overhaul of its civil law regime through the issuance of Federal Decree-Law No. 25 of 2025 on Civil Transactions a new Civil Transactions Law, marking one of the most significant legal reforms in recent years. The updated law reflects the country’s continued efforts to modernise its legal system, enhance contractual certainty, […]
ATB Research Team · 27 Jan 2026 · 4 minRead →
News
Update, October 2026: This post was written as negotiations were closing; the EU–India free trade agreement was concluded on 27 January 2026 and, as at October 2026, has not been signed or entered into force. For the current position, see EU–India trade deal (2026): status, FTA tariffs, rules of origin, CBAM and investment protection. The […]
Hemakshi Prabhu · 27 Jan 2026 · 6 minRead →
Arbitration
The Dubai International Arbitration Centre (DIAC) has been formally recognised as a Permanent Arbitral Institution (PAI) by the Russian Federation, marking a strategic expansion of its international reach and reinforcing its role as a preferred forum for cross-border dispute resolution. DIAC’s PAI Recognition in Russia The Dubai International Arbitration Centre (DIAC) was granted Permanent […]
Milen Zachariah John · 16 Jan 2026 · 5 minRead →
News
Enhanced succession planning, flexible share structures, and dispute-prevention mechanisms under the UAE Commercial Companies Law. Legal Certainty for Family-Owned Businesses Recent amendments to the UAE Commercial Companies Law (CCL) mark a significant shift in how family-owned and closely held businesses are regulated, particularly in matters of succession, share transfers, and shareholder disputes. The reforms aim to eliminate long-standing legal […]
ATB Research Team · 12 Jan 2026 · 3 minRead →