Federal Law No. (2) of 2025 Amending Certain Federal Laws

Purpose and legislative background

The Law is a targeted legislative housekeeping and institutional-transfer measure following the establishment of the Emirates Drug Establishment. Rather than rewriting four sector laws, it changes specified institutional references and one set of definitions so those laws operate with the new federal regulator structure.

Scope and who it applies to

The direct legal effect is on four named federal laws and their implementing resolutions. Businesses and professionals subject to those laws are affected because the competent regulator and chairperson terminology changes, while the underlying substantive product and sector rules continue unless separately amended.

Key definitions

Article 2 changes the “Competent Department” definition in Federal Law No. 39 of 1992 to the competent organisational unit of the Emirates Drug Establishment and removes the “Agent” definition from that law.

Main rights and obligations

• Read references to the named former ministries in the affected laws as references to the Emirates Drug Establishment where Article 1 requires.
• Read the specified Minister references as the Chairman of the Establishment.
• Use the Establishment’s current organisational unit where the amended definition of Competent Department applies.
• Continue complying with the substantive provisions of each underlying law unless separately changed.

Procedures and compliance

A practical implementation exercise is to identify every permit, application, inspection, notification, appeal and implementing resolution under the four affected laws that previously named a ministry or minister, then confirm the current Emirates Drug Establishment process.

Deadlines and time limits

The Law was issued on 28 April 2025 and entered into force on 29 April 2025, the date of Official Gazette publication identified by the official legislative record. It does not create a separate general transition deadline.

Enforcement, violations and penalties

The amending Law itself does not create a new penalty schedule. Enforcement and sanctions continue to arise under the four underlying sector laws as amended and their current implementing instruments.

Practical scenarios

• A veterinary-product company updates a regulatory filing template to name the Emirates Drug Establishment.
• A pesticide importer checks whether an approval formerly addressed to a ministry now follows the Establishment’s current procedure.
• A fertiliser business updates internal references to the Competent Department.

Amendments and related legislation

The affected laws are Federal Law No. 39 of 1992, Federal Law No. 9 of 2017, Federal Law No. 9 of 2020 and Federal Law No. 10 of 2020. Federal Decree-Law No. 28 of 2023 establishing the Emirates Drug Establishment is central background legislation.

What businesses and individuals should check

• Current Emirates Drug Establishment procedures and forms.
• Whether older implementing decisions have been reissued or updated.
• Current consolidated wording of each affected sector law.
• Regulator contact points and appeal/inspection channels.

When professional interpretation may be useful

Interpretation may be useful if an older permit, pending application, enforcement matter or contractual clause names the former ministry and the legal effect of the regulator transfer is disputed.