UAE requires counterfeit goods to be withdrawn within 24 hours under new law

YOUSUF SAIFUDDIN KAPADIA (ABU DHABI)

The Ministry of Economy and Tourism has highlighted key provisions of the Executive Regulations of the Anti-Commercial Fraud Law, requiring suppliers to immediately stop selling or displaying adulterated, spoiled or counterfeit goods and withdraw them from markets and warehouses within no more than 24 hours of receiving notification from the Ministry or competent authority.

The measures aim to strengthen consumer protection, safeguard market integrity and enhance oversight of commercial practices in the UAE.

The Ministry outlined the provisions during a media briefing held in Dubai to review the Executive Regulations of Federal Decree-Law No. 42 of 2023 concerning Anti-Commercial Fraud, issued pursuant to Cabinet Decision No. 107 of 2026.

Safeya Al Safi, Assistant Under-Secretary for the Commercial Control and Governance Sector at the Ministry of Economy and Tourism, said the UAE had made significant progress in developing an advanced legislative and regulatory framework to combat commercial fraud and protect the rights of consumers and trademark owners.

She said the regulations represented a new milestone in developing market oversight and keeping pace with modern forms of trade, including e-commerce.

Al Safi said the Ministry, in cooperation with local economic and supervisory authorities, conducted 10,023 inspection tours related to commercial fraud during the first quarter of 2026, resulting in the detection of 189 violations across the UAE.

The Regulations strengthen proactive oversight by establishing procedures for inspections, detecting violations and dealing with adulterated goods. They also regulate the custody and destruction of seized items, data exchange between competent authorities and the application of administrative penalties.

Public notification

The Regulations require suppliers to notify all points of sale and entities supplied with violating goods to withdraw them within 24 hours. Suppliers must also publicly announce the withdrawal within 48 hours in both Arabic and English.

These periods may be shortened if the goods pose a risk to human or animal health or safety, or to the environment.

The Regulations also establish procedures for recycling or destroying goods and allow eligible goods to be re-exported to the country of origin or exporting country within 30 days, in accordance with the prescribed controls.

Conciliation and objection procedures

The Regulations set out conciliation and objection procedures, allowing a violator to object to a decision rejecting conciliation within seven working days.

The Ministry or competent authority must decide on the objection within no more than 10 working days.

The Ministry affirmed that the Regulations aim not only to impose penalties, but also to promote a culture of compliance, support compliant establishments, strengthen the confidence of investors and traders, and enhance the competitiveness of UAE markets.

Abu Dhabi inspection campaigns

Earlier this year, the Abu Dhabi Registration Authority (ADRA), the Abu Dhabi Department of Economic Development's (ADDED) arm to develop and regulate the business sector, revealed that the value of counterfeit and non-compliant goods seized in 2025 during inspection visits and campaigns to protect trademarks exceeded Dh1.8 million.

The estimated value of goods related to consumer complaints resolved in 2025 was approximately Dh28 million.

Last year, ADRA conducted 465 inspection campaigns targeting commercial establishments and retail outlets across Abu Dhabi, an increase of 16.2 percent compared to 400 campaigns in 2024.