Competition Regulation Law — articles 1–40

For the purpose of applying the provisions of this Decree-Law, the following words and expressions shall have the meanings assigned thereto respectively, unless the context requires otherwise: The State: The United Arab …

This Decree-Law is intended to protect and enhance competition and combat monopolistic practices through the following: 1. Providing a stimulating environment for undertakings to enhance effectiveness, competitiveness an…

The provisions of this Decree-Law shall apply to all undertakings, in relation to their economic activities in the State, to the exploitation of intellectual property rights inside and outside the State, and to economic …

The following shall be excluded from the application of the provisions of this Decree-Law: 1. Any agreement, practice or conduct related to a specific good or service which another law containing provisions related to th…

1. There shall be prohibited agreements between undertakings, whose subject, purpose or impact is to distort, lessen,, prevent or restrict competition, and which lead to: a. Setting selling or purchasing prices of goods …

1. Any undertaking which, either individually or in collaboration with other undertakings, holds a dominant position in the relevant market, or in a significant and influential part thereof, shall be prohibited from perf…

Any undertaking shall be prohibited from performing any act or conduct, which constitutes an abuse of economic dependence in which a costumer has no alternative solutions for marketing or supply; particularly any act or …

1. In accordance with the controls established by the Executive Regulations hereof, setting or applying prices of selling to consumers which are excessively lower than the costs of production, manufacturing and marketing…

1. Agreements or practices which the relevant undertakings prove to be necessary for promoting economic development, improving the undertakings' performance and competitiveness, developing production or distribution syst…

1. The Minister or his authorized representative shall issue the resolution referred to in Clause (1) of Article (9) of this Decree-Law within (90) ninety days, and such period may be extended for another (45) forty-five…

Categories of contracts and related economic activities, which are necessary for promoting economic development, improving the undertakings' performance and competitiveness, developing production or distribution systems …

1. In order to complete economic concentration operations that would affect the level of competition in the relevant market, and in particular create or strengthen a dominant position, the relevant undertakings shall sub…

1. The Ministry shall verify the economic concentration operations referred to in Article (12) hereof in accordance with the procedures identified by the Executive Regulations of this Decree-Law. 2. The Minister or his a…

1. Time limits of considering applications for approval of economic concentrations stipulated in Article (13) of this Decree-Law shall be interrupted in any of the following cases: a. When the Ministry requests the relev…

1. The Minister or his authorized representative may take a reasoned decision on applications for economic concentration submitted in accordance with the provisions of Articles (12) and (13) of this Decree-Law, as follow…

There shall be formed, pursuant to this Decree-Law, a committee to be known as "the Competition Regulatory Committee", which shall report to the Minister. The Committee's formation and rules of procedure shall be determi…

The Competition Regulatory Committee shall have the following competences: 1. Proposing the general policy for protecting competition in the State, and presenting it to the Minister to take necessary actions; 2. Scrutini…

The Ministry shall have the following competences related to competition affairs: 1. Implementing the competition policy in cooperation with the Relevant Authorities in the State; 2. Coordinating with the Relevant Author…

1. For the purposes of applying the provisions of this Decree-Law, the Ministry's employees shall: a. take adequate measures to protect the confidentiality of information which the Ministry has access to or businesses pr…

1. The Ministry may request the Relevant Authorities and Sectoral Regulatory Agencies to provide it with a technical opinion about: a. The practices and actions covered by the provisions of this Decree-Law, based on comp…

1. The Relevant Authority shall consider anti-competitive practices, related exemption applications, and applications for approval of economic concentration that would affect competition and the general balance of the re…

1. Sectoral Regulatory Agencies having no law or bylaws regulating their own competition rules may consider anti-competitive practices, related exemption applications, and applications for approval of economic concentrat…

The Cabinet shall issue a resolution on the administrative penalties that the Ministry or the Relevant Authority, as the case may be, may impose on any undertaking when it violates any of the provisions of this Decree-La…

1. Whoever violates the provisions of Articles (5), (6), (7) and (8) and Clauses (2) and (4) of Article (9) of this Decree-Law shall be punished by a fine of not less than (AED 100,000) one hundred thousand dirhams and n…

1. Whoever violates the provisions of Article (12) of this Decree-Law shall be punished by a fine of not less than (2%) two percent and not more than (10%) ten percent of the annual total sales of goods or service revenu…

Any relevant undertaking that violates the provisions of Clause (2) of Article (13) hereof shall be punished by a fine of no less than (AED 50,000) fifty thousand dirhams and not more than (AED 500,000) five hundred thou…

Whoever prevents the employees concerned with enforcing the provisions of this Decree-Law from performing their duties in accordance with the powers granted thereto pursuant to the provisions of this Decree-Law and its E…

Whoever violates the provisions of Article (19) of this Decree-Law shall be punished by a fine of not less than (AED 50,000) fifty thousand dirhams and not more than (AED 200,000) two hundred thousand dirhams.

Upon rendering a judgment of conviction, the court may order the closure of the undertaking for a period of not less than (3) three months and not more than (6) six months. Furthermore, the court may order that the wordi…

1. The imposition of the penalties prescribed herein shall not prejudice any more severe penalties prescribed in any other law. 2. The imposition of the penalties prescribed herein shall not prejudice the right of the in…

Competition-related actions shall be heard summarily, and the competent court may render a decision of stay or suspension of any conduct until a final judgment is delivered.

Any stakeholder may file a complaint with the Ministry or the Relevant Authority about any violation of the provisions hereof, in accordance with the controls established by the Executive Regulations of this Decree-Law a…

1. Except as provided for in Article (28) of this Decree-Law, the criminal action related to the crimes stipulated in this Decree-Law may not be instituted, except at a written request of the Minister or his authorized r…

1. Any stakeholder may file a written complaint about any decision issued pursuant to the provisions of this Decree-Law with the Minister, the chairman of the Relevant Authority or the chairman of the Regulatory Agency, …

Employees to be identified by a resolution of the Minister of Justice or the president of the judicial authority, as the case may be, in agreement with the Minister, the Relevant Authority and the Sectoral Regulatory Age…

The Cabinet shall issue, upon proposal of the Minister of Finance, a resolution determining the fees required for implementing the provisions of this Decree-Law.

The prescriptive period of complaints about anti-competitive practices shall be (5) five years from the date of their commission, except for the practices proven to continue and whose effects harmful to competition last …

The Cabinet shall issue the Executive Regulations of this Decree-Law within (6) six months from its date of entry into force.

1. Federal Law No. (4) of 2012 Regulating Competition and any provision inconsistent with or repugnant to the provisions of this Decree-Law are hereby repealed. 2. The regulations and resolutions issued pursuant to the p…

This Decree-Law shall be published in the Official Gazette and shall enter into force (3) three months following its publishing date.