Dubai, United Arab Emirates: The Federal Tax Authority (FTA) has held the first meeting of the VAT Business Advisory Group for 2026 as part of its ongoing commitment to strengthening communication with the UAE business community. The meeting was held in the presence of His Excellency Abdulaziz Al Mulla, Director General of the FTA, with the participation of taxpayer representatives from various economic sectors, both in person and online.

The meeting was held as part of the Business Advisory Groups launched by the FTA, alongside specialised business groups dedicated to different sectors. These groups form part of the Authority’s ongoing efforts to strengthen partnerships and cooperation with the business community, develop direct channels of dialogue with taxpayers, enhance tax compliance, and improve services and procedures in line with international best practices.

The Director General affirmed the FTA’s commitment to further developing channels of communication and cooperation with the business community in the UAE, and to reinforcing the principle of public-private sector partnership through continuous dialogue and consultation. He noted that these sessions enable the exchange of views and expertise and contribute to developing the tax system that meets the needs of various economic sectors.

His Excellency said: “These meetings represent an important platform for constructive dialogue and the exchange of practical feedback between the FTA and representatives of the business community. They contribute to the development of tax services and procedures, improve the customer experience, enhance tax compliance, and reinforce transparency and clarity in the implementation of tax legislation.”

He added that the FTA continues to develop its digital services, enhance the efficiency of its operational systems, and leverage the latest technologies to support customers. These efforts contribute to simplifying procedures and raising the quality of tax services. He emphasised that feedback and suggestions of business community representatives form an important element of the Authority’s ongoing improvement efforts.

The meeting forms part of a series of initiatives and regular engagements organised by the FTA to communicate with stakeholders, raise awareness of tax requirements, and listen to the views and feedback of taxpayers. These efforts support the development of an efficient and flexible tax system that keeps pace with the UAE’s aspirations for a sustainable and future-ready economy.

About Federal Tax Authority:

The Federal Tax Authority was established by Federal Decree-Law No. 13 of 2016 to help diversify the national economy and increase non-oil revenues in the UAE through the management and collection of federal taxes based on international best practices and standards, as well as to provide all means of support to enable taxpayers to comply with the tax laws and procedures. Since its inception in 2017, the FTA has been committed to cooperate with the competent authorities to establish a comprehensive and balanced system to make the UAE one of the first countries in the world to implement a fully electronic tax system that encourages voluntary compliance, with simple procedures based on the highest standards of transparency and accuracy – beginning from registration, to the submission of tax returns, to the payment of due taxes through the Authority’s website: www.tax.gov.ae.