Federal Decree by Law No. (2) of 2025 Regarding the Establishment of the National Drug Enforcement Authority (NDEA)
Federal Decree by Law No. (2) of 2025
The Decree-Law establishes the National Drug Enforcement Authority (NDEA) as a federal authority, transfers specified federal anti-narcotics functions and assets to it, and defines its powers, governance, personnel, oversight, cooperation and enforcement framework. It entered into force on 1 January 2026.
Overview
What this legislation covers
The Decree-Law establishes the National Drug Enforcement Authority (NDEA) as a federal authority, transfers specified federal anti-narcotics functions and assets to it, and defines its powers, governance, personnel, oversight, cooperation and enforcement framework. It entered into force on 1 January 2026.
Who or what it applies to
- National Drug Enforcement Authority.
- Federal and local authorities involved in combating narcotics.
- Authority personnel and officials.
- Persons and entities interacting with the Authority under the statutory framework.
Key points
Important points at a glance
Establishes the National Drug Enforcement Authority (NDEA).
Gives the Authority legal personality and financial and administrative independence.
Provides that the Authority reports to the Cabinet.
Transfers specified rights, obligations, assets and functions from the Ministry of Interior anti-narcotics structure.
Defines federal anti-narcotics competences and coordination responsibilities.
Establishes a President and Director General governance structure.
Regulates Authority personnel and fiscal arrangements.
Provides oversight of the Authority’s work.
Allows judicial-police capacity for designated personnel.
Requires cooperation by competent and concerned authorities.
Practical explanation
Understanding the law
Purpose and legislative background
The Decree-Law creates a dedicated federal National Drug Enforcement Authority to centralise and strengthen federal anti-narcotics enforcement, intelligence, coordination and institutional capability. It transfers specified functions and assets from the Ministry of Interior’s anti-narcotics structure into the new Authority.
Scope and who it applies to
The legislation is primarily institutional. It governs the NDEA, its leaders and staff, and the federal/local entities that must cooperate with it. The substantive criminal rules for narcotics and psychotropic substances continue to arise from the separate narcotics and criminal legislation referenced by the Decree-Law.
Key definitions
Article 1 defines the institutional and operational terminology used in the Decree-Law, including the Authority, relevant officers and personnel, narcotics, addiction, competent authorities and concerned authorities.
Main rights and obligations
- The Authority exercises the competences allocated by Article 4.
- The President and Director General perform the governance and executive functions assigned by the Decree-Law.
- Competent and concerned authorities must cooperate with the NDEA within the statutory framework.
- Designated Authority staff may exercise judicial-police powers where legally conferred.
Procedures and compliance
Operational details depend on Executive Resolutions and coordination arrangements. Government entities should update referral, intelligence-sharing, investigation-support and operational contact procedures to reflect the NDEA’s legal role.
Deadlines and time limits
The Decree-Law was issued on 29 July 2025 and entered into force on 1 January 2026. No additional general compliance deadline should be inferred unless stated in an implementing resolution or another applicable law.
Enforcement, violations and penalties
This is principally an establishment and organisation law. It gives the NDEA enforcement-related competences and judicial-police capacity, while substantive drug offences and penalties are governed by the relevant narcotics and criminal statutes.
Practical scenarios
- A local authority needs to coordinate a cross-emirate narcotics operation and identifies the NDEA channel.
- A federal agency updates data-sharing and referral procedures after the NDEA commencement date.
- A regulated organisation receives an official request from the NDEA and checks authority, confidentiality and response procedures.
Amendments and related legislation
The Decree-Law refers to the federal narcotics legislation, including Federal Decree by Law No. 30 of 2021 as amended or any law replacing it. Article 14 addresses final and repeal matters associated with the new Authority. No later amending instrument was identified in this verification pass.
What businesses and individuals should check
- Whether an NDEA request or procedure is supported by the Decree-Law or an Executive Resolution.
- Current contact and cooperation protocols.
- Data confidentiality and lawful information-sharing requirements.
- Any separate obligations under narcotics, criminal procedure or sector-specific legislation.
When professional interpretation may be useful
Interpretation may be useful for questions involving overlapping federal/local enforcement competence, confidentiality and data exchange, seizures or investigations, or the relationship between the NDEA’s institutional powers and substantive narcotics legislation.
Practical notes
- Federal and local anti-narcotics coordination protocols should reflect the NDEA’s statutory role from 1 January 2026.
- Operational procedures should be checked against Executive Resolutions issued under Article 13.
- The Decree-Law establishes the Authority; substantive narcotics offences and penalties also remain governed by the applicable narcotics and penal legislation.
Legislation text
Text and provisions
Source and language note: This file is a structured English rendering prepared for informational use from the legislation published through official UAE sources. It is not presented as the authoritative statutory text. For interpretation and application, the original Arabic legislation published by the UAE authorities controls; if there is any conflict, the Arabic text prevails.
The rendering below covers every numbered article identified in the verified legislative structure. It is designed for navigation and legal-information use; exact statutory wording, schedules, tables, monetary thresholds and exceptions must be checked against the linked official source.
Legislative structure and article-by-article rendering
Article (1) — Definitions
This article regulates definitions within the statutory framework. The official text should be consulted for the precise conditions, exceptions, powers, procedural steps, thresholds and legal consequences attached to this subject.
Article (2) — The Authority
Establishes the National Drug Enforcement Authority as a federal authority with legal personality and financial and administrative independence, reporting to the Cabinet, and transfers the relevant rights, obligations, assets and functions of the General Department of Anti-Narcotics at the Ministry of Interior as prescribed.
Article (3) — Headquarters
This article regulates headquarters within the statutory framework. The official text should be consulted for the precise conditions, exceptions, powers, procedural steps, thresholds and legal consequences attached to this subject.
Article (4) — Competences
Sets the Authority’s federal competences for combating narcotics, enforcement coordination, intelligence and other functions specified by the Decree-Law.
Article (5) — President
This article regulates president within the statutory framework. The official text should be consulted for the precise conditions, exceptions, powers, procedural steps, thresholds and legal consequences attached to this subject.
Article (6) — Director General
This article regulates director general within the statutory framework. The official text should be consulted for the precise conditions, exceptions, powers, procedural steps, thresholds and legal consequences attached to this subject.
Article (7) — Authority Personnel
This article regulates authority personnel within the statutory framework. The official text should be consulted for the precise conditions, exceptions, powers, procedural steps, thresholds and legal consequences attached to this subject.
Article (8) — Fiscal Year
This article regulates fiscal year within the statutory framework. The official text should be consulted for the precise conditions, exceptions, powers, procedural steps, thresholds and legal consequences attached to this subject.
Article (9) — Oversight of the Authority’s Work
This article regulates oversight of the authority’s work within the statutory framework. The official text should be consulted for the precise conditions, exceptions, powers, procedural steps, thresholds and legal consequences attached to this subject.
Article (10) — Applicable Legislation
This article regulates applicable legislation within the statutory framework. The official text should be consulted for the precise conditions, exceptions, powers, procedural steps, thresholds and legal consequences attached to this subject.
Article (11) — Judicial Police Capacity
Allows designated Authority personnel to have judicial-police capacity for detecting violations within the statutory field.
Article (12) — Cooperation with the Authority
Requires competent and concerned authorities to cooperate with the Authority as provided by the Decree-Law.
Article (13) — Executive Resolutions
Authorises issuance of resolutions necessary for implementation.
Article (14) — Final Provisions and Repeals
Contains transition, repeal and continuity provisions governing the move to the new Authority framework.
Article (15) — Publication and Entry into Force
Requires publication in the Official Gazette and provides that the Decree-Law enters into force on 1 January 2026.
Verification
Official source & references
Official legislation sourcehttps://uaelegislation.gov.ae/en/legislations/3141Open ↗This page is a research and educational resource. Legislation can be amended, repealed, supplemented by regulations or interpreted by courts and authorities. Obtain advice before relying on it for a live matter.