Seven new rules in UAE as new year starts

In the United Arab Emirates where more than 200,000 Filipinos reside, seven new rules will be implemented, a report of Gulf News said.  The report said the new rules include: (1) ID cards now a must Gulf News said the card is now mandatory across the UAE except in Dubai. The card will be used to access Ministry of Interior services including that of the Traffic Department. The rule began in four emirates — Umm Al Quwain, Ajman, Ras Al Khaimah and Fujairah in November 2009. Dubai will implement it in mid-2012.   

The report said Emirates Identity Authority started issuing cards to Emiratis in 2006 and to expatriates in 2008.   October 31, 2011 was the deadline for renewing all identity cards expiring on that date. The delay attracts a Dh20 fine per day, up to a maximum of Dh1,000. (2) Child safety campaign  

A safety awareness campaign is being implemented to protect children in high-rise buildings because of the rising number of child victims who figured in such accidents. 

The Municipal Council of Sharjah said local authorities will soon launch a safety awareness campaign to protect children in high-rise buildings. The report said the UAE government is also considering setting new set of construction and safety codes to promote child safety.   

3. Traffic fines

A discount will be given to traffic violators who will pay in full their accumulated traffic fines.  

The deadlines set are the following:

 

4. IBAN

What: The International Bank Account (IBAN) number, is a  23-digit long, internationally recognized code, required for conducting any local or international transactions.   

The IBAN number is mandatory for all UAE bank account holders

This aims to ensure efficient and speedy payment transactions and lessen the risk of transcription errors in cross-border transactions, the report said.

 

5. Rent registration Tenants in Dubai are required to register rent contracts with the Dubai Land Department (DLD) through Ejari.ae. Gulf News said this will be a pre-requisite to accessing other government services. The failure to comply will result in a penalty.

 

6. Unified car purchase contract

Gulf News said the new unified auto purchase contract  states the rights of the customers and dealers' obligations in terms of warranties, after-sales service and maintenance, among others. Officials expect disputes between car dealers and consumers to drop by 30 percent when the unified contract is implemented. Gulf News said the new ruling will help the UAE's automobile sector by making buying and selling activity more transparent.

 

7. Fake mobile phones

Gulf News said UAE telecommunication service providers etisalat and du will suspend all services to mobile phone subscribers who use counterfeit mobile handsets. Officials say fake phones could be hazardous as they may not meet safety standards. The users of fake mobile devices will be contacted by their service providers and all phones that are not type approved will be disconnected from all telecom services, the Telecommunications Regulatory Authority (TRA) said. - VVP, GMA News