PRO Partner Group Blog

At present, the UAE has 123 double taxation agreements in force or pending. These agreements with the country’s numerous trade partners encourage the free flow of trade and investment from other countries as well as protecting member countries from double taxation on the exchange of goods, capital and services. In order to benefit from the double taxation agreements that the UAE has in place, companies and individuals must be in possession of a Tax Domicile Certificate (TDC), also known as a Tax Residency Certificate (TRC). Read more

Businesses change and evolve as organisations grow from small and simple to large and complex. This change can mandate a transition in the legal structure as well. Business owners may wish to change the legal form of an entity from a Sole Establishment (Sole Trader) to a Limited Liability Company (LLC) as they take on investors or additional partners or seek investments and financing from prospective lenders. Limited Liability Companies (LLCs) offer legal protection not offered by sole establishment and branch structures as they combine aspects of corporations and partnership. Within an LLC, business and personal liabilities are separated, so assets are protected, and owners are not liable for business debts. The shareholders of the LLC are liable up to the maximum of the share capital only. Read more

The UAE is one of the most digitally friendly countries in the world. As its economy has grown, it has embraced digital media innovation every step of the way. Abu Dhabi and Dubai are now highly competitive markets for international business and this has driven demand for skilled digital marketers and digital marketing companies and agencies to assist UAE businesses to build a good reputation and gain a strong position in their respective industries. Read more

Ramadan is a month for gathering and religious observance, understanding the work experience of Muslim employees and accommodating their particular needs shows good management and helps ensures people perform to the best of their abilities. When employers implement supportive policies that can accommodate these needs it leads to nurturing loyalty, higher staff retention, better morale, more effective teams and greater productivity. In this article, we provide some guidelines and best practices for employers and HR professionals to help them support and accommodate the needs of employees during Ramadan, and we discuss some of the points and changes for companies doing business during Ramadan. Read more

How UAE businesses can use social media and digital marketing to build relationships with new and existing customers, increase brand awareness and promote products and services in the region. Read more

“Thrive in Abu Dhabi” is the name of the initiative rolled out by the government of Abu Dhabi aimed at making the emirate home for more investors and entrepreneurs. The program promotes long-term residency via “Golden Visas” where international investors are invited to live, set up, and run their own business within Abu Dhabi for up to 10 years and beyond. Read more

Due to its favourable strategic geographic location Dubai functions as a key trading centre linking Africa, Middle East and East Asian business and logistic networks. The gradual shift from a reliance on oil and gas revenues to take greater advantage of shipping, transportation and logistics has raised the economy of the UAE to the second largest in the Middle East. The UAE has developed attractive policies of zero corporate tax, full company ownership (in the Freezones), and low import/export duties; creating an ideal climate for import-export businesses to thrive in Dubai, Abu Dhabi and the wider UAE. Read more

Holding companies are legal entities that incorporate subsidiary business entities. Whilst not authorised for standalone commercial activities like producing goods or providing services, holding companies are ideal for shareholding, trademark and patent ownership or purchasing real estate. Under UAE law holding companies have only a supervisory structure with no active management within subsidiaries i.e. they can own shares and implement processes for running operations and can benefit from assets transactions, services supply and dividends. Depending on their structure, holding companies can appoint a director or a board of directors to supervise subsidiaries operations, set out regulations and control the flow of money to and from subsidiaries. Read more

Setting up an online business in Dubai can be financially lucrative if done right. Dubai is increasingly becoming a hub for online businesses and e-commerce. In a recent joint study published by Dubai Economy and VISA; e-commerce transactions reached $16 billion in 2019 and is forecasted to soar with an average 23% annual growth rate up to 2022. Read more

In order to manufacture, import, advertise or sell cosmetic and consumer products in Dubai the products must first be registered with Dubai Municipality (DM) at the Consumer Products Safety Section (CPSS). To register the products with DM the company must first be set up and correctly licenced and itself registered with DM. In this article we go through the steps, requirements, applications, timelines, and costs to undertake company registration with Dubai Municipality and individual product registration processes. Read more