As part of its commitment to enhancing business environments and ensuring ease of setting up and doing business, the Abu Dhabi Business Centre (ADBC), part of the Abu Dhabi Department of Economic Development (ADDED), announced that it will grant a total of 1200 economic activities a one-year exemption from having a lease contract for work premises.
The ADDED’s new initiative is part of Abu Dhabi’s efforts to incentivise entrepreneurship and businesses in the Emirate by, not only, simplifying procedures and reducing fees, but by also giving investors more time to focus on the business and eventually select the best location to support their success.
The economic activities included in this initiative represent 29.5% of total economic activities licensed and regulated by ADDED, which reached 4062 activities by end of last year (2021).
This decision is in line with H.E. the Chairman of ADDED’s vision concerning the regulation of economic activities practised in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi. This allows exemption of some facilities from lease agreement as a prerequisite to issuing an economic license based on its activities. This exception is valid for a period of one year from the date of license issuance, and a lease agreement should be submitted upon the renewal of the license, or before that.
ADDED has recently launched many initiatives to ensure ease of doing business, including slashing business setup and renewal fees by over 94% and reducing over 71% in business set-up requirements, in coordination with 26 local and federal government entities. The move was welcomed by the business sector; reflected by an increase of new economic licenses of 21.5% and renewals of 15.8% in 2021 which confirms the attractiveness of the business sector in Abu Dhabi.
The strategic initiatives launched by Abu Dhabi facilitated a faster recovery rate of its economy after the Covid-19 economic impacts. This is reflected in the Emirate’s performance reported in 2021. The GDP grew by 1.9%, and non-oil GDP growth rate was 4.1% while sectors affected by Covid-19 showed a strong recovery with a growth rate of over 15%.
H.E. Mohammed Munif Al Mansouri, Executive Director of ADBC said: “We constantly connect with entrepreneurs and business owners to best understand their respective sectors and consequently are able to meet their demands and requirements. Giving investors the option to obtain economic licenses without [a] lease agreement reflects our positive, preemptive response to the market’s current needs. We have selected the activities included in this move based on a study of its nature and requirement and will continue our efforts to ensure ease of setting up and doing business as well as supporting entrepreneurs to launch their businesses which will contribute positively to the commercial activity in Abu Dhabi”. H.E. Al Mansouri concluded.
The Abu Dhabi Business Center (ADBC) www.adbc.gov.ae was established in 2013 to provide an ideal business environment. ADBC allows investors and businessmen to obtain all approvals and services related to economic licensing in the Emirate.
You can check the full list of 1200 activities here.
