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ARTICLE · 17 JULY 2026

UAE Competition Law: Filing Fees Announced

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The UAE has introduced Cabinet Decision No. 105 of 2026, establishing official fees for competition law filings under Federal Decree-Law No. 36 of 2023. The fee structure includes a turnover-based calculation for merger clearance requests (0.02% of annual sales, capped at AED 150,000), flat fees for exemption requests (AED 5,000), and nominal charges for objections and grievances. These fees take effect on 29 July 2026, one day before the implementing regulation becomes operational.

United Arab EmiratesAntitrust/Competition Law
Christopher R. Williams
Christopher R. Williams
Amelia Bowring
Amelia Bowring

What to Know

  • The UAE issued Cabinet Decision No. 105 of 2026, setting official fees for competition law filings.
  • The fees decision takes effect on 29 July 2026, a day before the implementing regulation.
  • Merger clearance fees are 0.02% of participants’ annual sales, capped at AED 150,000.

Background

In our recent updates, we summarised the key changes introduced by Federal Decree-Law No. 36 of 2023 on the Regulation of Competition (the New Law), the notification thresholds established by Cabinet Decision No. 3 of 2025 (the Threshold Decision) under the New Law and the detailed procedural framework introduced by Cabinet Decision No. 59 of 2026 on the Implementing Regulation of the New Law (the Implementing Regulation). We also covered the temporary exemption for cooperation on essential goods and services introduced by Ministerial Decision No. 96 of 2026.

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