Abu Dhabi, Aug. 31st, 2007 (WAM)---President H.H. Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan today issuedFederal Law No. 13 of 2007 on commodities that are subject to import and export control procedures.

Chapter 1 of the new law authorizes the concerned authorities to ban or restrict the importing, exportingor re-exporting of any commodity for reasons related to safety, public health, environment, natural resources,national security or for reasons related to the UAE's foreign policy, taking into account any restrictionswhich may currently be imposed on those commodities by laws already in effect and by the existing powersof the concerned authorities, and in compliance with the international treaties that the UAE ratifiedor joined.

The new federal law seeks to standardize such procedures throughout the UAE, since geographically-limitedprocedures would not provide the desired result of banning or restricting a particularcommodity and because varying or differing control procedures would disrupt trade in the country as awhole.

The new law directs the cabinet to order the establishment of a new control body to be known as the NationalCommission for Commodities Subject to Import, Export and Re-export Control. A representative of the Ministryof Economy (MoE) shall head the new commission, whose membership will include representatives of otherconcerned federal ministries and bodies and the private sector. It will be tasked with cooperating andcoordinating with relevant authorities on the rules introduced to control imports and exports in compliancewith the new law. It will also provide technical advice to federal and local bodies to ensure the enforcementprovisions of Chapter 1 are applied in the best interest of the integrity of the country's trade interests.

Accordingly, any local body or department that has reasons to ban or restrict a certain commodity willrecommend the commission to do the same nationwide.

The said commission will also inspect the procedures that are currently in place in the country and whichform the base for any possible bans or restrictions on any commodities.

Provisions of Chapter 1 of the new Law include the general framework for control of the issue of importand export licenses, namely the period set to consider applications and any complaints from applicantsagainst decisions by the relevant body to cancel licenses.

Chapter 2 regulates the procedures aimed at controlling the import and export of strategic commoditiesas well as the export and re-export of technological commodities, in addition to the brokerage of importsor transport of the same.