"Economy"" Competition Law 2025 enhances monitoring economic concentration and fair competition

Dubai, February 20 / WAM / His Excellency Abdullah Ahmed Al Saleh, Undersecretary of the Ministry of Economy, confirmed that the UAE has succeeded in developing an integrated legislative system to protect competition with the aim of enhancing sound commercial practices and raising productive efficiency in various economic sectors, combating monopolistic practices, and addressing harmful economic blocs in the consumer This enhances the competitiveness of the business environment in the country at the regional and global levels, and increases its attractiveness to companies and owners Business from all over the world.

This came during a media meeting organized by the Ministry of Economy today in Dubai, which touched on the contents of Cabinet Resolution No. 3 of 2025, which addresses the proportions related to the implementation of the decree of the Federal Law No. 36 of 2023 regarding the organization of competition and supporting the Ministry’s role in monitoring economic concentration and ensuring fair competition, from During defining controls for the dominant situation, which enhances commercial stability and prevents monopoly in the Emirates.

Al Saleh pointed out that the decision is the basis for the implementation of the competition law and the prevention of abuse to exploit the dominant situation, as it includes an explanation of this situation when exceeding any facility, alone or with another, is 40% of the total transactions in the market, and the decision also specified two cases to notify the facilities with concentration operations Economic; The first, if its annual sales exceed 300 million dirhams, and the second if the total share exceeds 40% of the total level of transactions in the market.

His Excellency Abdullah Ahmed Al Saleh stressed that the new ministerial decision comes as a substitute for Cabinet Resolution No. 13 of 2016, which is consistent with the provisions of Federal Law No. 4 of 2012 regarding the regulation of competition.

He explained that the decision is canceled by any ruling that contradicts its provisions, and the actual application of it will begin next April, in cooperation with the government agencies and the relevant authorities.

The ministry explained that verifying the requests for establishments for economic concentration operations, includes a number of basic procedures, as the minister or his delegate is obligated to issue decisions regarding the economic concentration process within 90 working days from the date of receiving the request, with the possibility of extension for another 45 days, and the concerned establishments must have to Not to carry out any behaviors to complete the concentration operations during this period, as there is no decision during this period as a rejection of the operation, Institutions can submit pledges on their own to take measures to ward off negative effects on competition within 30 days of completion of the request, and the Ministry is allowed to invite the parties with interest to express their views in the process of economic concentration by spreading basic information related to the ministry’s website. Finally, for every person with the right to provide the ministry with all data or documents related to the process of economic concentration.

The Ministry of Economy announced that every person with the interest of the right to provide a written grievance against any decision issued based on the competition law to the minister or the head of the concerned authority or the head of the regulatory agency, in a period not exceeding 15 working days from the date of notification of the decision or the relevant procedure, as is the right of the grievances entitled An appeal against the decision to refuse the grievance before the competent court within 30 days from the date of notification of the decision.

It is noteworthy that since 2021, the Ministry has received 15 requests from establishments to notify economic concentration operations, including 10 requests after the issuance of the competition regulating the competition in 2023.

It is expected that economic concentration processes will gradually increase, thanks to the new controls listed in the decision.

In addition, the ministry received 4 complaints about economic concentration operations after the issuance of the law, as one of the cases was referred to the judiciary in a precedent of activating the judicial move in addressing the practices contrary to the competition.

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