Dubai: H.H. Sheikh Maktoum bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, First Deputy Ruler of Dubai, Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Finance, and Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Federal Tax Authority (FTA), chaired a board meeting of the authority held today. During the meeting, he was briefed on the Authority's achievements and key performance indicators (KPIs) during the first quarter of 2025.
According to Emirates News Agency, H.H. Sheikh Maktoum was also briefed on the FTA's development plans for the next quarter and how they align with the directives of the UAE leadership to continuously upgrade the tax system and improve the FTA's efficacy in supporting financial sustainability. The meeting, held at the FTA's headquarters in Dubai, saw H.H. Sheikh Maktoum emphasising the importance of the sustainable development of the tax system.
H.H. Sheikh Maktoum reviewed ongoing efforts to enhance the FTA's global status in the tax sector, particularly through the development of technical, legislative, and procedural infrastructure. These efforts are focused on facilitating and accelerating the administration, collection, and implementation of federal taxes while maintaining excellence in governance and transparency. One of the FTA's key objectives is to encourage voluntary tax compliance, which strengthens the country's global competitiveness and supports the growth of the national economy.
The briefing also covered the FTA's achievements related to the implementation of the Corporate Tax Law, including the launch of all core corporate tax services provided to customers. These services cover the entire customer journey, from corporate tax registration to filing returns, tax payment, voluntary declarations, and refund requests. Discussions addressed the finalisation of internal services to support customers and the issuance of several new publications intended to enhance the customer experience.
A comprehensive report on the achievements, results, and developments of the Authority's main ongoing projects was shared. The report indicated a significant increase in the number of corporate tax registrants to 537,340, VAT registrants to 510,940, and excise tax registrants to 1,756. The expansion of the tax system's customer base was further reflected in the increase in the number of registered tax agents, which reached 676 during the same period.
The report also highlighted the approval of 1,656 new applications for citizens who requested refunds for the tax paid on constructing their new residences, with a total value of AED148 million reclaimed during the first quarter of 2025. The FTA's efforts to develop and enhance tax policies according to its strategy to support tax enforcement in line with tax legislation and global best practices were outlined.
Updates shared at the meeting included the FTA's continued implementation and upgrades of the EmaraTax platform to improve service quality. This is part of an overall digitisation strategy across its services aimed at facilitating voluntary tax compliance while providing more convenient, efficient services to customers.