Abu Dhabi has launched a new programme for updating economic licences that have been expired for three years or more, without their holders incurring penalties.
Government regulations state that licences that remain unrenewed are moved to an expired registry and once a licence has been expired for three years or more, it becomes subject to revocation.
Under the new initiative, eligible licence holders will be able to renew or update the status of their expired licences throughout November, Abu Dhabi Registration and Licensing Authority (Adra) said on Friday.
The first phase of the programme targets licences that expired before 2010, and those who take advantage of this month's grace period will be granted full exemption from late renewal penalties, the authority said.
“This initiative supports the ease of doing business … while also streamlining processes that enable them to seize the promising opportunities within Abu Dhabi’s dynamic economy,” said Mohammed Al Mansouri, director general of Adra.
“By extending eligibility to licences that expired before 2010, we are reinforcing our commitment to ensuring all businesses have equitable access to support initiatives.”
The Abu Dhabi business scene continues to grow amid a spate of new and updated regulations that provide an investor-friendly environment across all sectors.
Active licences in the emirate rose by 19 per cent annually in the first half of 2025, according to the latest data from Adra − the business development and regulatory arm of the Abu Dhabi Department of Economic Development.
That has underpinned the continuing growth of the UAE capital, which has continued its shift away from oil and has taken several measures to attract international investors, boost its competitiveness and improve the ease of conducting business.
Its economy grew by nearly 4 per cent annually in the second quarter of this year to hit Dh306.3 billion ($83.4 billion), underpinned by strong performance in its non-oil sector, Statistics Centre – Abu Dhabi reported earlier this month.
Non-oil foreign trade in the first half of 2025 jumped 34.7 per cent annually to Dh195.4 billion.
“Our focus remains on delivering effective, business-friendly solutions that simplify licensing from set up to every stage of the operational life cycle,” Mr Al Mansouri said.
The White Lotus: Season three
Creator: Mike White
Starring: Walton Goggins, Jason Isaacs, Natasha Rothwell
Rating: 4.5/5
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ENGLAND SQUAD
Team: 15 Mike Brown, 14 Anthony Watson, 13 Ben Te'o, 12 Owen Farrell, 11 Jonny May, 10 George Ford, 9 Ben Youngs, 1 Mako Vunipola, 2 Dylan Hartley, 3 Dan Cole, 4 Joe Launchbury, 5 Maro Itoje, 6 Courtney Lawes, 7 Chris Robshaw, 8 Sam Simmonds
Replacements 16 Jamie George, 17 Alec Hepburn, 18 Harry Williams, 19 George Kruis, 20 Sam Underhill, 21 Danny Care, 22 Jonathan Joseph, 23 Jack Nowell
Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
- Priority access to new homes from participating developers
- Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
- Flexible payment plans from developers
- Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
- DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
TCL INFO
Teams:
Punjabi Legends Owners: Inzamam-ul-Haq and Intizar-ul-Haq; Key player: Misbah-ul-Haq
Pakhtoons Owners: Habib Khan and Tajuddin Khan; Key player: Shahid Afridi
Maratha Arabians Owners: Sohail Khan, Ali Tumbi, Parvez Khan; Key player: Virender Sehwag
Bangla Tigers Owners: Shirajuddin Alam, Yasin Choudhary, Neelesh Bhatnager, Anis and Rizwan Sajan; Key player: TBC
Colombo Lions Owners: Sri Lanka Cricket; Key player: TBC
Kerala Kings Owners: Hussain Adam Ali and Shafi Ul Mulk; Key player: Eoin Morgan
Venue Sharjah Cricket Stadium
Format 10 overs per side, matches last for 90 minutes
When December 14-17
Emergency
Director: Kangana Ranaut
Stars: Kangana Ranaut, Anupam Kher, Shreyas Talpade, Milind Soman, Mahima Chaudhry
Rating: 2/5
MATCH INFO
Bayern Munich 2 Borussia Monchengladbach 1
Bayern: Zirkzee (26'), Goretzka (86')
Gladbach: Pavard (37' og)
Man of the Match: Breel Embolo (Borussia Monchengladbach)
ILT20%20UAE%20stars
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Jetour T1 specs
Engine: 2-litre turbocharged
Power: 254hp
Torque: 390Nm
Price: From Dh126,000
Available: Now
Six large-scale objects on show
- Concrete wall and windows from the now demolished Robin Hood Gardens housing estate in Poplar
- The 17th Century Agra Colonnade, from the bathhouse of the fort of Agra in India
- A stagecloth for The Ballet Russes that is 10m high – the largest Picasso in the world
- Frank Lloyd Wright’s 1930s Kaufmann Office
- A full-scale Frankfurt Kitchen designed by Margarete Schütte-Lihotzky, which transformed kitchen design in the 20th century
- Torrijos Palace dome
BMW M5 specs
Engine: 4.4-litre twin-turbo V-8 petrol enging with additional electric motor
Power: 727hp
Torque: 1,000Nm
Transmission: 8-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 10.6L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh650,000
