@inbook{d9bae2f4f3f74873952ef435d06c812c,
title = "The UAE legal and regulatory landscape: A perspective from practice",
abstract = "Over the past four decades, the UAE has become a significant global business hub. The high levels of foreign participation in its economy belie a complex legal and regulatory environment incorporating major restrictions on foreign ownership and other rules favouring Emirati nationals. This environment does deter some foreign companies from trading or establishing businesses there. In this chapter, we map the salient features of this legal and regulatory regime from a business law perspective. We provide a brief history of the UAE's constitutional foundation, legal system, and laws and identify the recent drivers of change. We outline the pathways to the establishment of a direct commercial presence in the UAE, detail the various legal structures available, and discuss their respective attributes and limitations. We canvas common issues associated with foreign enterprises entering joint ventures or distributorship agreements. We conclude that provided the legal and regulatory issues are addressed correctly with the right local support and professional advice, any foreign enterprise can put in place robust legal structures and/or distribution arrangements enabling participation in the dynamic UAE economy.",
keywords = "UAE, foreign participation, foreign ownership, Legal system, legal landscape, regulatory landscape",
author = "Gary Watts and Marcus Wallman",
year = "2024",
doi = "10.4324/9781003381662-7",
language = "English",
isbn = "9781032464299",
series = "Routledge Research in International Economic Law",
publisher = "Taylor and Francis - Balkema",
pages = "104--122",
editor = "Hossein Esmaeili and Vivienne Brand and Karamanian, {Susan L.}",
booktitle = "International Trade with the Middle East and North Africa",
}