UAE competition law enforcement powers allocated between federal, emirate, and sector regulators

The UAE's competition law regime has undergone significant transformation with the adoption of a new Competition Law and Cabinet Decision 3/2025, which introduced turnover-based merger notification thresholds. The Competition Law and its Executive Regulations now provide guidance on how competition enforcement powers are allocated and coordinated between federal authorities, emirate-level authorities, and sector-specific regulators.

The federal UAE Competition Commission holds principal jurisdiction over behavioral antitrust matters and merger control. Emirate-level authorities may assume authority where undertakings are present only in one Emirate and effects are confined to that Emirate. Within 10 business days, the federal Commission may join proceedings, though principal authority remains with the emirate-level authority. If jurisdictional conditions cease to be fulfilled, competence transfers to the federal Commission.

Sector-specific regulators may also assume jurisdiction over antitrust investigations or merger reviews on a case-by-case basis by submitting a written request to the Ministry of Economy and Tourism. The framework establishes coordinated enforcement under which competition law functions may be exercised by emirate-level or sector-specific authorities while remaining subject to the same substantive rules established by federal law.