Cabinet Resolution No. (55) of 2021 Determining the List of Activities with a Strategic Impact (economy and business law)

Article (1)  
Definitions  
In implementing the provisions of this Resolution, the following words and phrases shall have 
the meaning assigned to each of them , unless the context requires  otherwise:  
State  : United Arab Emirates.  
Competent Authority  : The authority competent for companies’ affairs at the 
concerned emirate.  
Regulatory Authority  : The federal authority concerned with regulating the activity 
with a strategic impact.  
Committee  : The Committee of Activities with a strategic impact.  
List of Activities with a 
strategic Impact  : The list that includes the activities subject to the necessary 
controls for licensing companies that engage in any of these 
activities in accordance with the requirements and 
conditions of the Regulatory Authority.  Cabinet Resolution of 20 21 Determining the List of Activities with a Strategic Impact  2 
 Foreign Investor  : A natural or legal person who doesn’t carry the nationality 
of the State and invests in the State.

Article (2)  
List of Activities with a Strategic Impact  
1. The list of activities with a strategic impact and the controls for licensing companies that 
engage in any of these activities shall be determined as shown in the following table:  
# Activity  Regulatory 
Authority  Conditions & Controls  
1 Security and 
Defense 
Activities and 
Activities of 
Military nature  Ministry of Defense 
and Ministry of 
Interior  Subject to the approval and requirements 
of the Ministry of Defense or Ministry of 
Interior – each in its own field – in terms 
of: 
a. Determining the percentage of 
national participation and/or 
percentage of the foreign 
investor’s participation in the 
capital . 
b. Determining the percentage of 
national participation and/or 
percentage of the foreign 
investor’s  participation in 
membership of board of directors 
(if applicable).  
c. Any other conditions or controls 
deemed by the Ministry of 
Defense or the Ministry of 
Inte rior.  Cabinet Resolution of 20 21 Determining the List of Activities with a Strategic Impact  3 
  
2 Banks, Exchange 
Houses, Finance 
Companies and 
Insurance 
Activities  
Central Bank of the 
United Arab Emirates  Subject to the approval and requirements 
of the United Arab Emirates Central Bank 
in terms of:  
a. Determining the percentage of 
national participation and/or 
percentage of the foreign 
investor’s participation in the 
capital.  
b. Determining the percentage of 
national participation and/or 
percentage of the foreign 
investor’s participation in 
membership of board of directors 
(if applicable).  
c. Any other conditions or controls 
deemed by Central Bank.  
 3 Money Printing  
4 Telecoms  Public Authority for 
the Regulation of the 
Telecommunications 
Sector and the 
Digital Government  Subject to the approval and requirements 
of the Public Authority for the Regulation 
of the Telecommunications Sector and 
the Digital Government in terms of:  
a. Determining the percentage of 
national participation and/or 
percentage of the foreign 
investor’s participation in the 
capital.  Cabinet Resolution of 20 21 Determining the List of Activities with a Strategic Impact  4 
 b. Determining the perc entage of 
national participation and/or 
percentage of the foreign 
investor’s participation in 
membership of board of directors 
(if applicable).  
c. Any other conditions or controls 
deemed by the Authority.  
 
5 Pilgrimage (Hajj) 
and Umra 
Activities  
Public Autho rity for 
Islamic Affairs and 
Endowments  Subject to the approval and requirements 
of the General Authority of Islamic Affairs 
and Endowments in terms of:  
a. Determining the percentage of 
national participation and/or the 
percentage of the foreign 
investor’s pa rticipation in board of 
directs (if applicable).  
b. Any other conditions or controls 
deemed by the Authority.  6 Quran 
Memorization 
Centers  
 
2. List of activities with a strategic impact with a determine percentage of national participation 
in it:  
# Activity  Conditions & Controls  
7 Services related to fisheries  The percentage of national participation in 
this activity shall be 100%  
 
  Cabinet Resolution of 20 21 Determining the List of Activities with a Strategic Impact  5

Article (3)  
Procedures to Approve the Licensing of Companies that Engage in Any of the 
Activities with a Strategic Impact  
1. A foreign investor – who wishes to engage in an activity with a strategic impact in accordance 
with clause (1) of article (2) of this resolution – shall submit the license application to the 
competent authority in accordance with the controls and conditions stipulated in federal and 
local legislation related to the activity.  
2. The competent authority shall submit the application to the regulatory auth ority within a 
timeframe that doesn’t exceed (5) working days from the date of receiving an application 
meeting the requirements in accordance with the provisions of clause (1) of this article.  
3. The regulatory authority shall issue – within a maximum period  of (14) fourteen working 
days from the date of receiving the application or of fulfilling all the conditions and 
requirements in accordance with clause (2) referenced above – its decision as per the 
following:  
a. Approval of the application and determining t he percentage of national participation, and 
any controls and conditions deemed by the authority in accordance to clause (3) of this 
article.  
b. Rejection.  
4. The regulatory authority shall notify its decision to the competent authority in order to take 
the appr opriate procedure in accordance with the conditions stipulated in clause (3) of this 
article.

Article (4)  
Amending Ownership in Activities with a Strategic Impact  
Companies, licensed in any of the activities with a strategic impact, shall abide by all th e 
applicable legislation in the State.  
 
  Cabinet Resolution of 20 21 Determining the List of Activities with a Strategic Impact  6

Article (5)  
Reports  
The competent authority shall submit to the committee, periodically and every three months, a 
report of the  licensed  projects with a strategic impact  and any amendments that may occur in 
terms of ownership or shareholders.

Article (6)  
Publication and Enforcement  
This Resolution shall be published in the official gazette and shall come into force as of 
01/06/2021.  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Mohammed bin Rashid Al -Maktoum  
Prime Minister  
 
Issued by us,  
On:  18 Shawwal  1442 A .H. 
Corresponding:  30 May  2021 AD