Dubai, 27 March 2019: The Board of Directors of the Federal Tax Authority (FTA) has issued a number of executive decisions concerning the Authoritys operations and administrative policies during its 8th meeting, chaired by H.H. Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Deputy Ruler of Dubai, UAE Minister of Finance and FTA Chairman.

During the meeting, which was held Tuesday (March 26, 2019) at the Ministry of Finances Dubai headquarters, the Board reviewed a report on the developments of ongoing projects and the FTAs recent achievements. The report also covered results pertaining to its registration processes for VAT and Excise Tax and transactions related to filing Tax Returns, payment of outstanding taxes and collection of recoverable taxes.

The report pointed out that the level of tax compliance in the country has increased, with the number of registrants for VAT exceeding 300,000 registered businesses tax groups and individuals. Meanwhile, the number of registrants for Excise Tax reached 719, and the number of approved Tax Agents increased to 316.

The report confirmed the success of the VAT Refund Procedures for UAE Nationals Building New Residences, with many citizens benefiting from the simple and straightforward electronic procedure that enables them to claim refunds on the taxes incurred on the construction of their new villas and apartments. The study noted that 235 applications were approved, enabling citizens to recover a total of AED9.76 million.

H.H. Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum commended the positive results and major strides the Authority has made since its inception. The FTA saw to the implementation of simple and clear cutting-edge electronic systems, leading to encouraging compliance levels from business sectors. This success was the result of streamlined procedures, an advanced legislative environment, and adherence to high international standards and best practices.