The UAE decided to welcome businesses and now has the biggest airport in the world by several metrics. They "stole" a great many businesses with attractive taxes (0% is attractive) and ease of company setups: e.g. my native Belgium used to be the place in the world where the most diamonds were traded (often by jewish families and the city of Antwerp in Belgium was the biggest diamond hub on the planet: I have friends from such families)... But now it's Dubai.

When countries tax companies at 30%+ then tax people at up to 69% on income (50% income tax + 19% social welfare tax in Begium if you're self employed and making "good" money: good money which is not so good anymore after 69% taxes) on one hand and, on the other hand, you can establish a company in a free-zone in Dubai that taxes at 0%, it's going to cost you business.

Now, I know, I know: "But ethics?". Well... Guess what: if countries in, say, the EU had reasonable taxation, maybe 10% to 15%, many who prefer to pack and leave for Dubai would likely stay in the EU (weather is really warm in Dubai: you basically live with AC and Dubai is polluted). But 30% tax on my company, then another 30% on my dividends? Or up to 69% if I'm self-employed?

You know what: at these levels just screw my native country.

I voted with my feet and my wallet and left (not for the UAE though).

As a friend of mine puts it: "I buy (physical) commodities in Africa, I ship them from Africa to China and sell them to China... Why would I pay any tax to the EU?". And, guess what: he's got companies (with a 's') in freezones in Dubai to do his trade. He also pays 0% on dividends but that's another topic.

Commodities, diamonds (you can criticize humans wearing diamonds: that's not the point), international aviation (Dubai is a gigantic hub and this brings in lots of money/tourism), now even cryptocurrencies (instead of having an ultra-regulatory approach they prefer to be open), etc.

Who's really the bad guys here? What are "our" states doing: say the EU and the US? Besides coming with ever more taxes, ever more laws, ever more rules, ever less liberties?

Meanwhile the novelty coming to the EU is this: the EU, who's supposed to have no fiscal competence, wants to impose, on top of all the national taxes, a new mandatory EU tax, that'd apply to every EU citizen.

I am fed up with these taxes.

Offer me, say, a music streaming service that'd be located in Dubai vs one located in France (like Qobuz), and I'll subscribe to the one in Dubai (even if it's a bit pricier): I know for I'm currently hesitating subscribing to Qobuz because I disagree with the french state and don't want to encourage business there and don't want that country to get any more of my money.

Wanna compete and attract businesses? Lower your fucking KYC/AML and lower your fucking taxes.

I do understand there's an ongoing attack on Dubai at this very moment : it's not because the EU and the US suddenly want to put criminals out of business though... It's because the EU and the US are pissed that money that used to be laundered home is now laundered in the UAE instead.

Piss people enough, and they won't try to optimize to pay less taxes to their home country: piss them enough and they'll leave forever and make sure to never pay a cent anymore to their native country.

Lower taxes, remove KYC/AML. And arrest criminals for the crimes they commit, not for the taxes they don't pay.