ABU DHABI 6 July 2018: Entrepreneurs and investors can set up a business in the UAE in simple, fast steps taking no more than 15 minutes, under a new initiative – Bashr – by the General Authority for Regulating the Telecommunications Sector (TRA).
The first phase of the initiative involves the electronic establishment of companies at all stages including: Issuing a new trade license and establishment card in the Federal Authority For Identity And Citizenship; issuing an establishment card in the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratization and other procedures that will be added in the future, as well as electronic data sharing to streamline procedures, improve data accuracy, adopt a standard fees collection mechanism and a unified digital identity and electronic signature.
The initiative aims to promote UAE’s competitiveness in doing business and is being implemented and developed through close cooperation with all local and federal government departments and entities involved in licensing economic activities in the UAE.
The initiative will ensure shortening the time taken to establish companies, and providing a smart national platform for customers to complete their business registration from any location in the UAE within 15 minutes by simple, online transactions without the need for paperwork.
The initiative reduces the time it takes to document and complete transactions electronically, in particular with regard to the procedures of opening the establishment card and issuance of three work permits according to quality and excellence standards in the provision of services, and through innovative, user-friendly mechanisms supported by modern technologies and smart phone apps.
Hamad Obaid Al Mansouri, Director-General of the TRA, said, “The Bashr initiative is based on the UAE vision to enhance the business environment to build a competitive, knowledge-based economy. As a result, it focuses on the UAE becoming the economic, tourist and commercial capital for more than two billion people by providing and developing specific world-class initiatives with international standards and a stimulating regulatory environment that attracts investments.”
The initiative includes coordinated action on several themes, including the legislative theme, which includes the development, amendment and activation of laws and regulations to keep abreast of technical advances and meet the objectives of the mGovernment; the technical theme, which includes technical systems, data quality, electronic connectivity and data exchange between entities; and finally the procedural theme of the initiative, which includes process re-engineering, and shortening of steps and time to establish businesses.