The Economic Integration Committee discussed during its first meeting of 2026, held yesterday under the chairmanship of Minister of Economy and Tourism Abdullah bin Touq Al Marri, the possibility of adopting a unified mechanism for linking the economic registry of licensing authorities in the state with the trademarks system of the Ministry of Economy and Tourism. This will enhance digital integration and unify databases among economic systems at the state level, and contribute to increasing the efficiency and speeding up of procedures, improving data quality and its exchange between relevant parties, and enhancing the financial value of companies and supporting the competitiveness of the business environment. The Committee clarified that the legislations and policies that were developed to develop the free zones in the state, numbering 40, contributed to including them within the state's economic policies and legislations through coordination, consultation, data exchange, and policy alignment, as well as unifying procedures and policies with registrants in the state. This contributed to supporting the file of combating money laundering, removing the state from the list of countries under monitoring, and preparing for the national assessment at the end of 2026. The Committee also discussed opportunities to enhance national efforts to consolidate the UAE's position in the Global Innovation Index by developing initiatives that support encouraging research and development, hosting entrepreneurial projects, and increasing companies' ability to compete locally and globally, which contributes to enhancing the innovation ecosystem and stimulating the creative business environment in the state on a sustainable basis. The Committee also highlighted its efforts and achievements during 2025 in developing the state's economic legislative system, enhancing the competitiveness of the national economy, and supporting integration between federal and local concerned authorities. Bin Touq stated that the Committee, thanks to the exceptional efforts of its members, has succeeded in establishing a national platform for legislative dialogue and consultation between federal and local authorities, and has contributed to supporting many joint national projects and initiatives, as well as providing specialized technical studies that contribute to facilitating the decision-making process. He also pointed out that since its establishment in 2021, the Committee has achieved tangible progress in developing legislations and policies that support enhancing the competitiveness of the business and investment environment, and enhancing institutional integration. Bin Touq also reviewed the most prominent achievements made by the UAE economy during 2025, including the state's advancement to the 7th globally in the strength and stability of its economy within the Global Soft Power Index for 2025, the entry of about 250,000 new companies into the state's markets, and the registration of about 37,794 national and international trademarks during the past year, in addition to the increase in the contribution of UAE tourism to the state's GDP to 15% during the past year, with a total value of 291 billion dirhams.
