United Arab Emirates: Antitrust/Competition Law

The UAE has introduced comprehensive regulatory instruments governing online food delivery platforms, establishing enforceable standards for transparency, fair dealing, and competitive conduct. These landmark measures address exclusivity arrangements, commission structures, data practices, and algorithmic ranking—fundamentally reshaping the compliance landscape for platforms and food establishments alike.

The UAE Competition Department has published its first comprehensive Guidelines on Relevant Market Definition, providing businesses with crucial clarity on the analytical framework used in competition assessments. These guidelines are particularly significant for merger control, where defining the relevant market is essential to determining whether a mandatory filing obligation exists under the UAE's unique threshold requirements.

The UAE's competition law regime has undergone significant transformation with the introduction of a new Competition Law and turnover-based merger notification thresholds. While the federal UAE Competition Commission holds principal jurisdiction, the Executive Regulations now provide guidance on how competition enforcement powers are allocated and coordinated between federal authorities, Emirate-level authorities, and sector-specific regulators.