The UAE has signed 94 agreements with other countries to avoid double taxation. These agreements help promote trade and investment by preventing taxpayers' income from being taxed twice. The Ministry of Finance negotiates these agreements to eliminate barriers to cross-border commerce. The UAE also signs investment protection agreements to safeguard Emirati investments abroad. Additionally, the UAE works with other nations and organizations to increase tax transparency and automatically exchange tax information while protecting confidentiality.

1. UAE Double Tax Treaties: UAE Signs
Agreements on Avoidance of
Double Taxation

2. Tax transparency is an essential matter that should be observed by countries in the
world. There have been concerns regarding international tax evasion and avoidance,
and The Ministry of Finance (MoF) of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) is eager to take
continuous actions regarding these obstacles that are being faced by most nations.
The UAE, being a member of the Forum on Transparency and Exchange of Information
for Tax Purposes, further shows its driven desire to be one of the competitive countries
in the world through the Ministry of Finance (MoF)’s continuous growing network to
be in discussion with other countries with regard to the agreements on exchanging tax
information and avoiding double taxation.
UAE Double Tax Treaties: UAE Signs Agreements on Avoidance of Double Taxation

3. These days, the UAE spreads its network across the five continents, having 94
agreements. This covers most of UAE’s trading partners. Still, the UAE is in ongoing
negotiations with 15 other countries.
UAE Double Tax Treaties: UAE Signs Agreements on Avoidance of Double Taxation

4. Date of Ratification
Date of Final
Signing
Country No.
7/16/1995 4/12/1994 Egypt 1
6/25/2004 4/24/2001 Algeria 2
4/29/2004 2/13/2001 Yemen 3
5/27/1997 4/10/1996 Tunisia 4
7/1/2000 2/9/1999 Morocco 5
6/6/2004 3/15/2001 Sudan 6
1/12/2002 1/26/2000 Syria 7
3/23/1999 5/17/1998 Lebanon 8
3/2/2004 9/24/2003 Mozambique 9
11/20/2000 2/7/1993 Pakistan 10
11/30/1992 4/29/1992 India 11UAE Double Tax Treaties: UAE Signs Agreements on Avoidance of Double Taxation

5. 10/3/2007 3/27/2007 Amendment Protocol
3/12/2013 4/16/2012 Amendment Protocol
7/4/2004 9/24/2003 Sri Lanka 12
10/20/2008 9/23/2003 Philippines 13
3/9/2005 9/22/2003 South Korea 14
7/18/1996 12/1/1995 Singapore
15
Under Ratification 10/31/2014 Singapore / Amendment Protocol
6/1/1999 11/30/1995 Indonesia 16
1/4/2001 3/1/2000 Thailand 17
1/4/2001 3/1/2000 Thailand 17
9/24/1996 11/28/1995 Malaysia 18
7/22/1994 7/1/1993 People’s Republic of China 19
7/29/2004 9/24/2003 New Zealand 20
3/9/2004 2003 Ukraine 21
2/1/2001 2/27/2000 Belarus 22
1/23/1996 4/11/1993 Romania
23
Under Ratification 5/4/2015 Romania (New)
12/30/2011 6/9/1998 Turkmenistan 24
9/23/2003 4/22/2002 Armenia 25
3/27/2000 12/17/1995 Tajikistan 26
2/24/2004 2/21/2001 Mongolia 27
9/23/2004 9/23/2003 Austria 28
2/3/1994 1/31/1993 Poland
29
5/1/2015 12/11/2013 Poland / Amendment Protocol
7/14/2011 7/1/2010 Germany 30
12/26/1997 3/12/1996 Finland 31UAE Double Tax Treaties: UAE Signs Agreements on Avoidance of Double
Taxation

6. 10/5/1997 1/22/1995 Italy 32
1/1/2005 9/30/1996 Czech Republic 33
11/8/1994 7/19/1989 France 34
12/22/2003 9/30/1996 Belgium 35
6/19/2009 11/20/2005 Luxembourg
36
Under Ratification 10/26/2014 Luxembourg / Amendment Protocol
1/29/1995 1/29/1993 Turkey 37
5/25/2004 6/9/2002 Canada 38
9/25/2007 9/18/2006 Mauritius 39
4/14/2007 9/19/2006 Seychelles 40
5/19/2009 9/18/2006 Bosnia and Herzegovina 41
6/12/2007 11/20/2006 Azerbaijan 42
4/2/2007 3/5/2006 Spain 43
9/13/2006 3/13/2006 Malta 44
6/2/2010 5/8/2007 Netherlands 45
11/16/2008 6/26/2007 Belgium 46
2/25/2011 10/26/2007 Uzbekistan 47
11/27/2013 12/22/2008 Kazakhstan 48
4/12/2010 2/16/2009 Vietnam 49
Under Ratification 1/18/2010 Greece
50
Under Ratification 6/27/2013 Amendment Protocol
7/6/2011 7/1/2010 Ireland 51
4/28/2011 11/24/2010 Georgia 52
6/20/2011 12/11/2010 Venezuela 53
5/22/2012 1/17/2011 Portugal 54
6/13/2011 1/17/2011 Bangladesh 55UAE Double Tax Treaties: UAE Signs Agreements on Avoidance of Double
Taxation

7. 3/17/2013 2/27/2011 Cyprus 56
3/29/2012 4/20/2011 Estonia 57
10/21/2012 10/6/2011 Switzerland 58
7/9/2014 11/13/2011 Guinea 59
Under Ratification 11/21/2011 Kenya 60
6/23/2013 12/7/2011 Russia 61
6/11/2013 3/11/2012 Latvia 62
2/11/2013 3/26/2012 Montenegro 63
12/20/2013 9/2/2012 Fiji 64
Under Ratification 9/24/2012 Palestine 65
10/23/2013 10/13/2012 Panama 66
7/9/2014 11/20/2012 Mexico 67
7/2/2013 1/13/2013 Serbia 68
Under Ratification 3/4/2013 Benin 69
Under Ratification 4/1/2013 Libya 70
10/4/2014 4/30/2013 Hungary 71
12/24/2014 5/2/2013 Japan 72
11/21/2014 5/21/2013 Nation of Brunei, the Abode of Peace 73
12/19/2014 6/30/2013 Lithuania 74
9/29/2014 10/12/2013 Slovenia 75
3/25/2015 3/13/2014 Albania 76
Under Ratification 9/22/2014 Barbados 77
Under Ratification 10/10/2014 Uruguay 78
Under Ratification 12/7/2014 Kyrgyzstan 79
Under Ratification 12/11/2014 Hong Kong 80
Under Ratification 2/12/2015 Bermuda 81UAE Double Tax Treaties: UAE Signs Agreements on Avoidance of Double
Taxation

8. Under Ratification 3/26/2015 Comoro Islands 82
Under Ratification 4/12/2015 Ethiopia 83
Under Ratification 6/8/2015 Uganda 84
Under Ratification 7/27/2015 Gambia 85
Under Ratification 7/28/2015 Andorra 86
Under Ratification 10/1/2015 Belize 87
Under Ratification 10/1/2015 Liechtenstein 88
Under Ratification 10/22/2015 Mauritania 89
Under Ratification 10/21/2015 Senegal 90
Under Ratification 10/26/2015 Macedonia 91
Under Ratification 11/23/2015 South Africa 92
Under Ratification 12/21/2015 Slovakia 93
Under Ratification 1/18/2016 Nigeria 94
UAE Double Tax Treaties: UAE Signs Agreements on Avoidance of Double Taxation
Source: Ministry of Finance

9. The UAE has its best interests in protecting and promoting investments as well. There
are 58 agreements that the UAE has signed with countries that represent investment
opportunities. Negotiations are still ongoing with other five countries. In regards to
better the international tax compliance that is associated with the Foreign Account Tax
Compliance Act (FATCA), the UAE signed an agreement with the USA government.
UAE Double Tax Treaties: UAE Signs Agreements on Avoidance of Double Taxation

10. The Agreements
The agreements that have been dealt with and continuously being discussed with
other countries are helping in achieving a balance in the economy.
As per the decisions of G20, MoF is keen and dedicated in the execution of the
transparency and information exchange standards for tax purposes. Along with this
the terms and conditions that go with the agreements, all for avoiding double
with the UAE’s economic and trading partners.
UAE Double Tax Treaties: UAE Signs Agreements on Avoidance of Double Taxation

11. A. Double Taxation
A double taxation is paying tax twice for the same earned income. In the sense of
article, this happens when you are taxed twice in two different countries. This is
the double taxation agreement comes in, which ensures that you won’t be charged
twice for tax at the same time in different states or countries for the same income.
The Ministry of Finance (MoF) organized together with a team that is comprised of
representatives from different divisions, namely the Ministry of Foreign Affairs
and Abu Dhabi Investment Authority (ADIA), and named it the International Financial
Relations and Organisations Department. This group has the responsibility of
negotiating and follow up with nations regarding agreements on avoiding double
taxation.
UAE Double Tax Treaties: UAE Signs Agreements on Avoidance of Double Taxation

12. The Avoidance of Double Taxation agreement has the following goals:
 Promoting UAE’s development goals and diversifying the sources of the country’s
national income
 Eliminating not just double taxation, but additional and indirect taxes and tax
evasion also
 Eradicating cross-border trade and investment flow obstacles
 Providing taxpayers the protection they need from double taxation—direct or
indirect
 Promoting the capital’s free movement and the exchange of goods and services
UAE Double Tax Treaties: UAE Signs Agreements on Avoidance of Double Taxation

13. B. Investor Protection
 The protection of the investments is in one of the UAE’s best interests,
signing 58 agreements with the aim to protect and promote investments.
These agreements have been done between the UAE, 25% of the nations
in the world, and most of its trading partners.
 The Investment Protection Agreement has the following goals:
 Protecting the investments of the UAE from non-commercial risks,
including those that are related to the transfer of profits and revenues in
convertible currency
 Organising of conflict resolution (if needed)
 Establishing investments within the states’ agreement signatories and
granting licenses to investors who are Emirati
 Stipulating the rules and regulations for granting the UAE investors with
just and instantaneous compensations (without discrimination), in the
events that investment expropriation happens; all compensations are
necessary to be based on the investment’s market value.
UAE Double Tax Treaties: UAE Signs Agreements on Avoidance of Double Taxation

14. C. Information Exchange
The MoF has been conducting agreements with countries in order to achieve
transparency, justice, and protection for the economy.
A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed by the MoF with the
Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD). This agreement
with regard to creating and establishing a partnership that takes care of taxation
matters, by which the UAE is strengthening its reputation as a training hub of MENA
with regard to information exchange, as well as being the country that has qualified
and active network of tax experiences
UAE Double Tax Treaties: UAE Signs Agreements on Avoidance of Double Taxation

15. There were eight MoUs that were signed:
 Central Bank of the UAE
 Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC)
 Jebel Ali Free Zone (JAFZA)
 Dubai Multi Commodities Centre (DMCC)
 Fujairah Free Zone Authority
 Ras Al Khaimah Free Trade Zone (RAK FTZ)
 Ras Al Khaimah Investment Authority (RAKIA)
 Umm Al Quwain Free Trade Zone Authority
UAE Double Tax Treaties: UAE Signs Agreements on Avoidance of Double Taxation

16. An extended MoU for the 2016-2018 fourth period was signed by MoF. Workshops
were presented, showing the introduction to tax information with tax experts from
different places in the world.
The points that were discussed in the workshops included the following: common
international standards in the field of tax reports, implementation mechanisms, and
approved legal frameworks. The intention was to strive in developing a system that for
tax information to be exchanged automatically, however, still have the interest of
protecting the information and complying with confidentiality rules of the tax
information exchange.
UAE Double Tax Treaties: UAE Signs Agreements on Avoidance of Double Taxation

17. Conclusion
The UAE has always been venturing in becoming one of the most competitive countries
the world, and the works that the Ministry of Finance has been doing to safeguard and
enhance the economy balance shows the country’s vigor.
It is indeed essential to be knowledgeable when it comes to things that might affect you
with regard to tax, especially with the never-ending changes that are happening in the
State. FAR – Farhat Office & Co. is more than willing to extend its hand to conduct a
consultation with you. You can contact us here to book a consultation.
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UAE Double Tax Treaties: UAE Signs Agreements on Avoidance of Double Taxation