Economic Substance Requirements In UAE

Economic Substance requirement Regulations issued On 30 April 2019, the UAE Cabinet issued the Cabinet of Ministers Resolution No.31 of 2019 (concerning economic substance regulations in the UAE, “the Regulations”), requiring all in-scope UAE entities (“Relevant Entities”) that carry on certain activities (“Relevant Activities”) to have demonstrable economic substance in the UAE from 30 April 2019.

WHO IS SUBJECT TO THE REGULATIONS?

The Regulations apply to all UAE onshore and free zone companies that carry on a “Relevant Activity”. It is yet to be confirmed whether the Regulations will also apply to sole proprietorship and branches, but we expect entities incorporated under offshore (free zone) companies regulations that carry on a “Relevant Activity” to be within the scope of the Regulations. Entities that are directly or indirectly owned by the UAE government (both federal and local) are specifically excluded from the Regulations. On this basis, UAE sovereign investment funds and other UAE government related entities would not need to meet the UAE economic substance requirements. The following are considered as “Relevant Activities” under the Regulations:
● Banking ● Insurance ● Fund management ● Lease-finance ● Headquarters ● Shipping ● Holding company ● Intellectual property (IP) ● Distribution and service centre

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