UAE Digital Trade Law Proposed as Global Model at UN-Backed Summit

The United Arab Emirates Ministry of Economy and Tourism organized the first Global Summit on Digital Trade and Digital Platforms in Dubai in cooperation with the United Nations Commission on International Trade Law (UNCITRAL). The summit focused on leveraging the UAE's Federal Decree-Law No. 14 of 2023 on Trading by Modern Technological Means as a model for developing a new global legal framework for digital trade and digital platforms. This initiative aims to enhance the competitiveness of the legislative ecosystem for digital trade worldwide. The forum advanced global dialogue on establishing a comprehensive legal framework that supports innovation in digital trade. It builds on a proposal submitted by the UAE during the 67th session of UNCITRAL Working Group IV on e-commerce, held in Vienna in November 2024.

That proposal put forward the UAE's Law on Trading by Modern Technological Means as a model legislative reference for digital trade governance. Spain later joined the proposal, and it was officially adopted by UNCITRAL last July. Following this adoption, the UNCITRAL Secretariat was mandated to begin exploratory work on the legal aspects of digital trade. The UAE initiative has also garnered support from leading national and international organizations, including Dubai CommerCity, Majid Al Futtaim Group, Al Khayyat Group, Al Tamimi & Company, and LexisNexis. H.E. Abdulla bin Touq Al Marri, UAE Minister of Economy and Tourism, stated that under the guidance of its leadership, the UAE has begun exporting its legislative models to the world, setting a benchmark for countries developing modern legal frameworks.

He noted this has further strengthened the nation's position as a leading global hub for the digital and new economies, particularly digital trade. He identified digital trade as one of the key sectors showcasing the UAE's advanced experience in economic diversification and openness to global markets. The summit was attended by Ms. Anna Joubin-Bret, Secretary of UNCITRAL, representatives from more than 15 international institutions, technical teams, legal experts, innovators from the private sector, and global universities concerned with digital trade and digital platforms. The event featured panel discussions on regional and global mechanisms for governing digital platforms and ways to advance digital commerce and platforms.

Discussions also covered growth opportunities in sectors like FinTech, data, and advanced solutions, while addressing related challenges. The summit showcased the latest technological innovations supporting digital economic development and their role in shaping value chains and facilitating the cross-border flow of data and services. The move to use UAE law as a foundational model represents a significant step toward creating harmonized international standards for the rapidly evolving digital economy. This development matters because it signals a shift in global digital trade governance, with a specific national legislation potentially becoming a template for international frameworks. The implications include reduced legal fragmentation across borders, which could lower barriers for digital businesses operating globally and accelerate the growth of the digital economy by providing clearer rules for emerging areas like data flows and platform operations.