UAE, October 09, 2024:

In a series of meetings held this year, the UAE Regulations Lab Committee has been reviewing several new projects, advanced technology experiments, and initial approvals issued to innovative projects and emerging firms in the UAE. The Committee also approved the Regulations Lab priorities and initiatives aligning with the national priorities.

The Committee’s meetings, chaired by Her Excellency Maryam bint Ahmed Al Hammadi, Minister of State and Secretary-General of the Cabinet, and attended by the members of the Committee, included reviewing the Regulations Lab (RegLab) activities outcome and achievements of the past phase, mainly the initial approvals and licenses granted by the UAE Cabinet to the applicants through the RegLab. The outcome also included the agreements signed and the events held with the participation of the RegLab. Additionally, the meeting included reviewing the key specializations and functions of the RegLab, which aims to enhance the UAE’s pioneering position in adopting regulations of a future nature.

The RegLab specializations include proposing legislation that regulates the implementation of innovative projects of a future nature in cooperation with government authorities, private sector entities, and specialists, managing requests from applicants seeking to obtain temporary licenses for their innovative projects, and establishing appropriate and time-efficient mechanisms for receiving requests, studying and implementing them.

The RegLab, which is part of the General Secretary of UAE Cabinet, enables and fast-tracks the preparation of the legislation regulating innovative projects, defines the implementation’s time frame, stipulates the licensee’s obligations, and other controls based on the nature of each submitted project. Additionally, the RegLab outlines the necessary measures to ensure the licensee’s continuing compliance with the conditions that come with the initial approval granted to the project.

The innovative projects of the past phase reviewed by the Committee include the project of Fractional Bonds/Sukuk, the project of Testing self-driving vehicles (Level 2- with driver), the project of testing an electric cargo plane powered by clean energy (ALIA 250) – eVTOL, and the project of Testing Self-driving vehicles (Level 5 - without driver) which converts traditional fuel-powered vehicles into electric vehicles, among other projects.

The agenda of Regulations Lab Committee meetings also featured a review of the agreements signed between the RegLab and other specialized organizations and academic institutions to advance areas of the legislative ecosystem related to experimenting and licensing projects of future nature in all sectors.

It is worth mentioning that the Regulations Lab Committee was established by the Cabinet’s Decision No (68/2) of 2024. It includes H.E. Maryam bint Ahmed Al Hammadi, Minister of State, Secretary General of the UAE Cabinet, chairman of the Regulations Lab Committee; H.E. Khalfan Juma Belhoul  Alfalassi, Chief Executive Officer, Dubai Future Foundation; deputy chairman of the committee, H.E. Ahmad Saeed bin Meshar, General Secretary, the Supreme Legislation Committee - Emirate of Dubai; H.E. Abdullah Khalfan Al Shamsi, Director General of Legal Affairs and Legislation, Abu Dhabi Executive Office; H.E. Shahab Abu Shahab Al Suwaidi, Director General, the Advanced Technology Research Council - Emirate of Abu Dhabi; H.E. Khalid Al Harmoudi, Assistant General Secretary for Cabinet Affairs Support, General Secretariat of the UAE Cabinet; H.E. Dr. Farah Ali Al Zarooni, Assistant Under-Secretary for the Standards & Regulations Sector, Ministry of Industry and Advanced Technology; H.E. Dr. Abdulrahman Al Muaini, Assistant Undersecretary for Intellectual Property Rights Sector, Ministry of Economy; H.E. Ali Khalfan Al Dhaheri, Deputy Director of Legal Affairs Office, Presidential Court; and H.E. Saqr bin Ghalib, Executive Director, the Artificial Intelligence, Digital Economy, and Remote Work Applications Office.