UAE

The Ministry of Economy is the primary competition authority under the 2023 law, supported by a Competition Regulation Committee.

Horizontal agreements that restrict, prevent, or distort competition are prohibited, including price-fixing, market allocation, and bid-rigging.

Vertical agreements such as resale price maintenance and exclusive dealing are prohibited where they appreciably restrict competition.

Abuse of a dominant position is prohibited, covering exploitative and exclusionary conduct including predatory pricing and tying.

The 2023 law introduced mandatory pre-merger notification for transactions meeting prescribed turnover thresholds.

The 2023 law provides for leniency but detailed implementing regulations and guidelines are still being developed.

The Ministry may accept commitments to resolve competition concerns, though formal settlement procedures are not yet fully codified.

Fines of up to 10% of annual revenue for the relevant product. The 2023 law significantly increased penalty levels from the prior regime.

No specific digital markets regulation. General competition rules apply to digital platforms.

The Telecommunications and Digital Government Regulatory Authority (TDRA) and General Civil Aviation Authority exercise concurrent competition oversight in their sectors.

The Ministry has enhanced investigation powers under the 2023 law, including the ability to conduct on-site inspections and seize evidence.

Injured parties may seek damages through the courts, but private competition litigation remains uncommon.

The Ministry cooperates with regional and international competition bodies on an ad hoc basis. No formal cooperation agreements publicly disclosed.

Enforcement is expected to accelerate under the 2023 law. Previous actions primarily targeted distribution and agency agreement violations.