01 | UAE corporate tax return and payment deadline approaches

As of 26 September 2026, UAE companies and other Taxable Persons whose Tax Period ended on 31 December 2025 should treat their corporate tax return and payment as an immediate priority. Both obligations are due by 30 September 2026.

Taxable Persons can complete registration, return filing and payment directly through the EmaraTax platform or appoint a Tax Agent approved by the UAE Federal Tax Authority. Taxable Persons eligible for Small Business Relief must still file a return and pay any Corporate Tax due. Exempt Persons required to register must also submit an annual declaration within nine months of the end of their financial year.

Businesses should retain records that support the accuracy of their filings, including evidence of Revenue, Taxable Income and eligibility for Small Business Relief. Failure to keep the records required under the Tax Procedures Law and Corporate Tax Law may result in administrative penalties.

Source: Gulf News, 2026-09-26

03 | Oman expands the range of zero-rated VAT goods from October

Businesses in Oman should review the tax classification and customs codes of food, medical and veterinary products before 1 October. The Oman Tax Authority has issued three decisions expanding the range of goods subject to zero-rated VAT, effective from 1 October.

The food list includes cattle, sheep, goats, camels and poultry intended for breeding, slaughter or milk production, as well as meat, seafood, dairy products, eggs, fruit and vegetables, legumes, coffee, tea and seasonings. Medical products require a release permit from the Ministry of Health based on the approved customs classification. Veterinary medicines and related equipment require a release permit from the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Water Resources based on the relevant customs codes.

The three decisions define the covered goods through Unified Customs Tariff codes. Importers and distributors handling these products should update their tax codes against the annexes to the decisions rather than determine zero-rating eligibility from product names alone.

Source: omanobserver, 2026-09-27

05 | Iraq introduces a new import pre-declaration mechanism from October

From 1 October 2026, imports made without an external financial transfer will also fall under Iraq’s pre-declaration mechanism. Importers and their banks should align declarations of funding sources, shipment documents and tax and customs payments in advance to prevent discrepancies between customs and payment records.

Under Iraqi Cabinet Decision No. 413 of 2026, financial transfers for importing goods must undergo pre-declaration through ASYCUDA, with customs duties and tax deposits collected before the transfer is completed. Banks are responsible for verifying that the procedures have been completed, entering the pre-declaration number in the transfer data, matching the records and monitoring the import process. The requirement covers transfers made from banks’ own balances or balances replenished through the Central Bank of Iraq.

For imports without an external financial transfer, the pre-declaration will include a field identifying the source of funds. If a transfer is rejected or goods are not imported in full, amounts collected in advance will be handled through the approved electronic mechanism. Where an import is not completed in full, the collected amounts will not be refunded until the transferring bank has returned the remitted funds.

Source: وكالة الإقتصاد نيوز, 2026-09-27

06 | UAE Ministry of Finance publishes the latest eInvoicing update

Businesses subject to eInvoicing with annual revenue of AED 50 million or more now face an immediate milestone: appointing an Accredited Service Provider by 30 October 2026. The UAE Ministry of Finance confirmed that the mandatory Phase One implementation date remains 1 January 2027.

The UAE eInvoicing Pilot Phase began in July 2026, and the 5-Corner Model is now undergoing practical operational testing. Businesses and Accredited Service Providers can use the period before mandatory implementation to test the end-to-end invoicing process and address operational and technical integration issues.

The Ministry of Finance encourages businesses to complete provider selection, contractual arrangements and technical integration early. Companies at or above the revenue threshold should not defer provider assessment and system onboarding until the mandatory start date. Contract, finance, tax and IT teams should work to the same implementation timetable.

Source: Ministry of Finance, 2026-09-27

Other updates

  • 08 | Iraq opens public consultation on draft AI regulation: Iraq’s Communications and Media Commission has opened a public consultation on a draft regulatory framework for artificial intelligence services. Stakeholders may submit comments within 30 days from 23 September 2026. (Source: Iraq Business News, 2026-09-28)
  • 09 | Saudi Arabia changes contract-count rules for Saudization calculations: Saudi Arabia’s Qiwa platform has clarified that a Saudi employee must have no more than five contracts during the preceding 52 weeks to continue being counted as one Saudi employee under Nitaqat. (Source: Saudi Gazette, 2026-09-27)
  • 10 | Türkiye establishes a green investment taxonomy to attract international finance: Türkiye has published a Green Taxonomy Regulation covering 16 sectors and 137 economic activities to identify environmentally sustainable investments and improve access to international green finance. (Source: Hürriyet Daily News)
  • 11 | Iraq and the US agree to resume dollar cash shipments: Iraq and the United States have agreed to resume commercial shipments of physical US dollars to Baghdad, while Iraqi banks will apply stricter compliance standards and expand electronic transaction monitoring. (Source: Hürriyet Daily News)
  • 12 | Dubai approves longevity strategy targeting an AED 35 billion contribution: Dubai has approved a longevity strategy intended to contribute more than AED 35 billion to the emirate’s economy over the next decade and achieve annual growth of around 31%. (Source: Gulf News, 2026-09-27)
  • 13 | Saudi crude exports reach their highest level since the Iran war began: Kpler data indicates that Saudi crude exports reached 6 million barrels per day in September, the highest level since the Iran war began around seven months earlier. (Source: CNBC, 2026-09-25)
  • 14 | Saudi Arabia consults on rules for dealing in capital markets outside the Kingdom: The Capital Market Authority has opened a 30-day consultation on draft rules governing dealing activities in financial markets outside Saudi Arabia, ending on 27 October 2026. (Source: Saudi Gazette, 2026-09-27)
  • 15 | Iran truce expectations and Houthi attacks drive oil-price volatility: US-Iran talks have reduced the supply-risk premium, while renewed Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabia have revived concerns about supply disruption, causing Brent and West Texas Intermediate to diverge. (Source: The National, 2026-09-25)
  • 16 | Qatar closes 388 worksites for summer heat-safety violations: Qatar’s Ministry of Labour closed 388 worksites for violating heat-protection regulations during inspections conducted in the 2026 summer work-ban period. (Source: ETHRWorld.com, 2026-09-25)
  • 17 | Egypt allocates EGP 80 billion to support production, exports and entrepreneurship: Egypt’s current budget allocates EGP 80 billion to programmes supporting production, exports and entrepreneurship, with concessional financing provided to companies through the Micro, Small and Medium Enterprise Development Agency. (Source: Dailynewsegypt, 2026-09-27)
  • 18 | Türkiye launches a USD 5.3 billion agriculture and food financing programme: Türkiye has launched a 10-year, USD 5.3 billion financing programme for agricultural and food investments, with an initial USD 750 million approved by the World Bank expected to be made available to businesses this year. (Source: Hürriyet Daily News)
  • 19 | Qatar begins consultations on private-sector job nationalisation: Qatar’s Ministry of Labour held the first consultation session on its nationalisation plan for private-sector jobs, covering implementation mechanisms, challenges for companies and proposals for improvement. (Source: Qatar Tribune, 2026-09-27)
  • 20 | Sovereign Fund of Egypt launches EGP 10 billion industrial sub-fund: The Sovereign Fund of Egypt has established an industrial investment sub-fund with authorised capital of EGP 10 billion and paid-in capital of EGP 500 million. (Source: Dailynewsegypt, 2026-09-26)
  • 21 | Egypt plans a new role for its sovereign fund to attract private investment: Egypt is developing a new operating model for its sovereign fund and subsidiary funds, which may take minority stakes of 10% to 20% in selected investments to reduce entry risk for private capital. (Source: Dailynewsegypt, 2026-09-26)
  • 22 | Oman develops an action plan to expand non-oil trade: Oman is preparing a strategy to improve its business environment, expand domestic production and increase non-oil trade, giving the private sector more room to invest and strengthening export capacity. (Source: omanobserver, 2026-09-26)
  • 23 | Abu Dhabi to introduce new Emirati hospitality standards in 2027: Abu Dhabi will introduce Emirati Hospitality Standards from early 2027, with 65 measurable requirements covering eight stages of the guest journey, from pre-arrival communication to departure. (Source: Gulf News, 2026-09-25)
  • 24 | Türkiye proposes a lifetime tobacco ban for people born after 2015: Legislation being prepared by Türkiye’s Health Ministry would permanently prohibit people born after 1 January 2015 from using, smoking or selling tobacco products. The draft is expected to be submitted to Parliament in October. (Source: Hürriyet Daily News)
  • 25 | World Bank approves USD 750 million for Türkiye’s agrifood transformation: The World Bank has approved USD 750 million in financing to improve the competitiveness of Türkiye’s agrifood value chain and agricultural productivity. The project will be implemented by the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry and the Agriculture and Rural Development Agency. (Source: Yeni Şafak English, 2026-09-25)
  • 26 | Qatar calls for a new regional security arrangement in the Gulf: Qatar has proposed a regional security arrangement that addresses the concerns of Iran and its Gulf neighbours while working to restore the diplomatic process between the United States and Iran. (Source: dohanews.co)
  • 27 | Abu Dhabi Securities Exchange joins the SWIFT network: ADX has activated the Business Identifier Code ADSEAEADXXX and joined the SWIFT network, allowing it to exchange standardised financial messages with custodians, securities depositories and other market participants. (Source: Gulf News, 2026-09-25)
  • 28 | Private investment in Oman’s space sector rises 270% to OMR 74 million: Private-sector investment in Oman’s space industry increased from OMR 20 million in 2023 to OMR 74 million in 2025, a 270% rise from 2023. (Source: Times of Oman)
  • 29 | UAE continues to attract high-net-worth individuals despite regional disruption: Close to 10,000 millionaires relocated to the UAE in 2025, and private bankers expect further inflows of high-net-worth individuals despite regional conflict. (Source: The National, 2026-09-27)
  • 30 | Bahrain Chamber backs more flexible labour rules: Bahrain’s Labour Market Regulatory Authority has amended rules on the use of foreign workers, allowing employers to deploy authorised workers within the same group and, subject to legal requirements, assign them to another employer for up to three months. (Source: DT News)

Last updated: September 2026. This content is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal or tax advice.