UAE's Federal Tax Authority Launches 50 Guides on Tax Legislation and Procedures

The Federal Tax Authority (FTA) has issued 50 guides and e-learning modules covering some legislative and implementation aspects of the UAE’s tax regulations as part of the Authority’s comprehensive awareness campaign.

His Excellency Khalid Ali Al Bustani, FTA Director General, said that this step reflects the FTA’s continued commitment to adopting the highest standards of transparency and accuracy in implementing tax procedures. The guides and e-learning modules cover many tax aspects, including import and export declaration, registration for Excise Tax, Value Added Tax (VAT) and Tax Groups, Excise Tax refund, filing tax returns, warehouse keepers and designated zones, H.E. explained.

The announcement coincided with the launch of the FTA’s comprehensive awareness campaign, “Filing returns in 4 Steps”, which seeks to familiarise businesses registered for VAT purposes with the FTA’s advanced online system. The FTA’s online tax system was launched earlier this month, and started receiving tax returns for the first tax period, which ended for some businesses on January 31, 2018, as these are now required to file their returns before February 28, 2018.

H.E. Al Bustani called on businesses and specialists to benefit from these guides and e-learning modules to raise awareness among stakeholders and provide a comprehensive introduction to the UAE tax system with all its legislations and mechanisms. This will enable the FTA to obtain accurate and comprehensive information, which helps promote tax culture among the various business sectors, thus ensuring the successful implementation of the tax system.

“Through its website, the Authority provides comprehensive information and guidance on tax legislation, and procedures,” the FTA Director General asserted. “It also provides videos that familiarise businesses and members of society in general with their rights, obligations and methods for calculating tax.”

H.E. Al Bustani also urged businesses to comply with the tax procedures stipulated in the FTA’s respective laws and regulations, highlighting the FTA’s commitment to helping businesses comply with tax regulations and procedures, to facilitate the implementation of the tax system in accordance with international best practices.

Earlier this month, the FTA informed businesses registered in the VAT system, and whose first tax period ended on January 31, 2018, that their VAT returns must be submitted no later than February 28, 2018.