Federal Decree Law No. (25) of 2022 Regarding the Regulation and Development of the Industry (industry and technical standardisation law)

Article (1)  
Definitions  
In application of the provisions of this Law by Decree, the following words and phrases shall 
have the meanings assigned to e ach of them, unless the context otherwise requires:  
State  : The United Arab Emirates (UAE) . 
Ministry   : Ministry of Industry and Advanced Technology . 
Minister   : Minister of Industry and Advanced Technology .  
Federal Decree Law  No. (25)  of 2022 Regarding the Regulation and Development of the Industry  2 
 Concerned Authority  : The federal or local authority competent to implement 
the provisions herein . 
Licensing Authority  : The local authority or free zone authority competent to 
issue an industrial licence for an industrial establishment . 
Industrial Licen se : The document issu ed by the Licensing Authority 
denoting the licensing of the industrial establishment to 
practice its activity . 
Industrial 
Establishment  : Every establishment whose primary purpose is to transform raw materials into fully manufactured or 
semi -manufactured products or to convert 
semi -manufactured products into fully manufactured 
products, including mixing, separating, forming, assembling, and packaging works, provided that all or 
most of  these operations shall be carried out by 
mechanical force . 
Industrial Product  : The fully or semi- manufactured material or materials 
produced by the industrial establishment . 
Owner of the Industrial Establishment  : A natural or legal person who owns the industrial establishment in the State in whole or in part . 
Industrial Registry  : An electronic database in which data of all industrial 
establishments licensed by the Licensing Authority shall 
be recorded.  
Executive  Regulations  : The executive regulations issued in implementation of 
the provisions herein .

Article (2)  
Law by Decree Objectives  
This Law by Decree shall aim to achieve the following:  
1. Contributing to the unificatio n of policies and legislation related to the industrial sectors 
to comply with the programmes of development and diversification of the economy at  
Federal Decree Law  No. (25)  of 2022 Regarding the Regulation and Development of the Industry  3 
 the state level;  
2. Enabling the industrial sector in the State and raising its con tribution to the gross 
domestic product; and  
3. Achieving cooperation, integration, and coordination between the federal and local 
government agencies concerned with the development of the industrial sectors in the 
State.

Article (3)  
Scope of Applicat ion of the Law by Decree  
1. The provisions herein shall apply to all industrial establishments, including industrial 
establishments located in free zones in the State.  
2. In the application of the provisions herein, establishments licensed as part of t heir 
activities to practice an industrial activity according to the approved classification of 
economic activities, whether the licen se issued to the establishment is industrial or 
non -industrial, are considered among the industrial establishments.  
3. The Executive Regulations determine the controls that shall be observed in industrial establishments subject to the provisions herein.  
4. The Council of Ministers may exempt any industrial sector from the provisions herein based on the proposal of the Mi nister in coordination with the Concerned Authorities.

Article (4)  
Competences of the Ministry  
To achieve the objectives herein, the Ministry shall undertake the following:  
1. Developing national guidelines, policies, and strategies to empower the ind ustrial sector 
in the State, raise its contribution to the gross domestic product and enhance its 
competitiveness, in coordination with the Concerned Authorities, and supervise their implementation after being approved by the Council of Ministers;  
2. Proposing basic technical standards and requirements for the classification and licensing of industrial activities in coordination with the Licensing Authority and other concerned 
authorities;   
Federal Decree Law  No. (25)  of 2022 Regarding the Regulation and Development of the Industry  4 
 3. Determining the primary and secondary industries and targe ted supply chains that add 
value to the national economy;  
4. Setting national priorities and standards, preparing programmes and initiatives 
necessary to develop the fields of industry, working on industrial establishments in 
developing models, applied technology, and newly competitive industries, and 
supervising their implementation in coordination with the concerned authorities; and  
5. Studying and analysing data and information related to the industry, conducting 
specialised studies, research, survey s, and building indicators to measure the efficiency 
and effectiveness of the industrial sector and its impact on the State economy.  
6. . Establishing strategic partnerships with the government and private sectors in the field 
of developing the industrial sector and enhancing its competitiveness regionally and internationally; and  
7. Representing the State abroad in fields related to the industry, in accordance with the 
regulations in force in the State.

Article (5)  
Industrial Establishment Licensing  
1. The Licensing Authority shall be responsible for issuing, renewing, amending, 
suspending and cancelling industrial licences for industrial establishments within its 
jurisdiction in accordance with the controls and procedures regulated by the legislation 
in force in this regard.  
2. The Licensing Authority shall take into account the technical standards and 
requirements required by the Ministry when issuing industrial licences.

Article (6)  
Industrial Registry  
1. A registry called the "Industrial R egistry" shall be established at the Ministry, including 
data and information related to licensed industrial establishments. The Executive 
Regulations shall determine the data and information of the industrial registry, the 
procedures for their registratio n and modification, and the mechanisms for linking the 
industrial registry with the records and databases of the concerned authorities.   
Federal Decree Law  No. (25)  of 2022 Regarding the Regulation and Development of the Industry  5 
 2. The Ministry may not make available data and information related to the establishments 
registered in the industrial registry and the modifications that occur to them through its 
website, except in accordance with the controls specified by the Executive Regulations.  
3. The owner of the industrial establishment, the partner therein, or his heirs may obtain an extract of the data related to the industrial establishment from the industrial registry, in 
accordance with the conditions and procedures specified by the Executive  Regulations.  
4. Non -professional employees of the Ministry, licensing authorities or judicial authorities 
may view the contents of the industrial registry or circulate the data and information 
registered therein or use them except in accordance with the  conditions specified by the 
Executive Regulations.

Article (7)  
Privileges and Exemptions for Industrial Establishment  
1. The Ministry shall be responsible for issuing the industrial production permit, according 
to which the industrial establishment is granted the privileges and exemptions specified 
by a resolution of the Council of Ministers based on the Minister proposal in 
coordination with the concerned authorities.  
2. Privileges and exemptions shall be granted to industrial establishments that achieve the priorities of industry strategies in the State, which include the following establishments:  
A. Establishments that provide a competitive advantage for the State and enhance its 
position within the global value chain of industry;  
B. Establishments based on advanced technology in industrial systems and solutions;  
C. Establishments that apply sustainable manufacturing policies;  
D. Establishments that shall be established in areas specified by the State for their 
advancement;  
E. Establishments that practice industries that shall be based on the exploitation and 
development of natural resources available in the State; and  
F. Establishments practising industries that contribute to achieving industrial integration in the State.  
3. The Executive Regulations shall determine the controls and procedures for issuing, 
renewing, suspending and cancelling the industrial production permit.   
Federal Decree Law  No. (25)  of 2022 Regarding the Regulation and Development of the Industry  6

Article (8)  
Obligations of the Industrial Establishment  
The industrial establishment shall comply with the following:  
1. Industrial licen se conditions;  
2. Conditions for permitting industrial production and controls for benefits and 
exemptions granted to industrial establishments;  
3. Mandatory specifications and standards issued by the Ministry;  
4. Not to lease the land or building allocated for the industrial establishment from 
government agencies to others or dispose of it in any way without obtaining permission 
from the competent government agencies, provided that the Ministry shall be informed 
thereof;  
5. Not to carry out any work that shall change production, expand or develop it, merge the 
industrial establishment with another industrial establishment, divide the industrial establishment into more than one project, or change the location of the establishment, 
except in accordance with the controls and procedures specified by the Executive 
Regulations;  
6. Notifying the Ministry and the Licensing Authority of selling, mortgaging, leasing, or 
assigning the industrial establishment in whole or in part. The Executive Regulations shall specify the necessary procedures, therefore, including the procedures prior to any 
of these actions;  
7. Notifying the Ministry and the Licensing Authority in the event that the industrial establishment stops worki ng in whole or in part within (30) thirty days as of the date of 
stopping the activity, indicating the reasons for stopping;  
8. Notifying the concerned authorities of any accident that poses a threat to life, property, 
public health, or the environment;  
9. Providing the Ministry with the complete and correct data and information it requests 
about the industrial establishment;  
10. Allowing authorised representatives of the Ministry and the concerned authorities to 
enter the industrial establishment, view records, documents, and accounts, and monitor 
production processes and other activities of the industrial establishment; and   
Federal Decree Law  No. (25)  of 2022 Regarding the Regulation and Development of the Industry  7 
 11. Undertakings and other obligations imposed by the legislation in force on the industrial 
establishment.

Article (9)  
Preview and I nspection  
1. The Licensing Authority, the concerned authorities, and the Ministry, each within the 
limits of its competen ce, may inspect the existing industrial establishments to ensure 
their compliance with the terms of the industrial licence and the controls related to 
security, safety, public health, and the environment.  
2. The Ministry, in coordination with the Licensing Authority, may inspect industrial 
establishments to ensure their compliance with the requirements of the industrial 
production permit and the requirements for obtaining the privileges and exemptions 
granted to industrial establishments.

Article (10)  
Penalties  
Every owner of an industrial establishment that practices an industrial activity without 
obtaining the industrial licen se shall be punished with imprisonment and a fine not 
exceeding (AED1,000,000) million or with one of these two penalties.

Article (11)  
Reconciliation  
1. A criminal case shall not be initiated for the crime stipulated in article (10) herein except 
upon a written request from the Licensing Authority or the Ministry.  
2. Reconciliation may be made in the crime stipulated in Ar ticle (10) herein before the case 
is referred to the competent court in exchange for payment of an amount that shall not 
exceed the maximum fine prescribed for the crime in accordance with the controls 
specified by the Executive Regulations. The criminal c ase shall expire upon payment of 
the reconciliation amount.  
  
Federal Decree Law  No. (25)  of 2022 Regarding the Regulation and Development of the Industry  8

Article (12)  
Administrative Penalties  
Violations and administrative penalties for acts that occur in violation of the provisions 
herein and the resolutions issued in implementation thereof shall be determined by a 
resolution of the Council of Ministers based on a proposal by the Ministry and in 
coordination with the Licensing Authority, the entities imposing penalties, the grievance 
mechanism against them, and the entity concerned with collecting administrative fines.

Article (13)  
Violation Causes Elimination  
Whoever commits any of the violations specified in the Council of Ministers resolution referred to in article (12) herein, in addition to the penalty specified in the aforementioned 
resolution, shall immediately remove the causes of the violation and the damages resulting 
from it and if he fails in this regard, the Concerned Authority shall by removing it and 
charging the violator with the costs of this procedure, in addition to (20%) of the value of the 
costs as administrative and supervisory expenses. The estimate of the concerned autho rity 
for these costs is considered a final estimate.

Article (14)  
Delegation of C ompetences  
The Council of Ministers, based on a proposal by the Minister, may delegate any of the concerned authorities or licensing authorities, within the limits of their c ompetence, to 
undertake the implementation of any of the competencies stipulated herein.

Article (15)  
Judicial Seizure  
The employees of the Ministry or the Licensing Authority who are specified by a resolution 
of the Minister of Justice in agreement wit h the Minister or who are specified by a resolution  
Federal Decree Law  No. (25)  of 2022 Regarding the Regulation and Development of the Industry  9 
 of the head of the local judicial authority in agreement with the head of the Licensing 
Authority, as the case may be, have the capacity of judicial seizure officers to prove what 
occurs in violation of t he provisions herein, its Executive Regulations and Resolutions issued 
in implementation thereof, within the scope of their competence. They shall have access to 
industrial establishments, seize violations, and issue the necessary records in accordance 
with the provisions specified by the Executive Regulations.

Article (16)  
Regularization  
All industrial establishments existing in the State at the time the provisions herein come into 
force shall reconcile their statuses in accordance with its provisions w ithin one year of the 
date of its entry into force. Based on the Minister's proposal, the Council of Ministers may 
extend the deadline for another period.

Article (17)  
The Executive Regulations  
The Council of Ministe rs, based on the Minister's proposal, after coordination with the 
Licensing Authority, shall issue the Executive Regulations herein within (6) six months of the 
date of its publication in the Official Gazette.

Article (18)  
Fees  
The Council of Ministers,  based on the proposal of the Minister of Finance, shall issue a 
resolution specifying the fees necessary to implement the provisions herein.

Article (19)  
Executive Resolutions  
Without prejudice to the competencies established for the Cabinet herein, the Minister shall  
Federal Decree Law  No. (25)  of 2022 Regarding the Regulation and Development of the Industry  10 
 issue all resolutions and regulations necessary to implement its provisions.

Article (20)  
Repeals  
1. Federal Law No. (1) of 1979  on the Regulation of Industry Affairs;  
2. Any provision that contravenes or contr adicts the provisions herein shall be repealed.  
3. The resolutions and regulations issued prior to the entry into force herein shall remain in 
force, in a manner that shall not conflict with its provisions, until th e issuance of what 
replaces them in accordance with the provisions herein.

Article (21)  
Publication of the Law by Decree and its Enforcement  
This Law by Decree shall be published in the Official Gazette and shall come into force as of 
January 02, 2023.  
  
  
Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan  
President of the United Arab Emirates  
 
Issued by us at the Palace of the Presidency in Abu Dhabi on: 
Safar 30, 1444 H  
Corresponding to September 26, 2022