The number of trade licenses registered in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi now totals 109,415, with 68,678 licenses in Abu Dhabi City, 30,844 in Al Ain and 9,893 in the Western Region. Out of this number, the number of active licenses is 84,018 across the emirate.

The Annual Report on Commercial Activity in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi 2015, issued by the Department of Economic Development, DED's, Abu Dhabi Business Centre, indicates that the total number of commercial activity licenses has reached 88,300, or 80.7% of the total number, followed by 18,596 occupational licenses, 17%, and finally 2,519 professional licenses, 2.30%.

According to the Report, the new trade licenses issued in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi in 2015 amounted to 9,228 compared to 9,999 in 2014 and 8,657 licenses in 2013, which reflects a constant ascending trend in Abu Dhabi's business activity due to positive optimism amongst businessmen and investors towards the business environment in the emirate, which supports the emirate's business cycle and economic performance.

The Abu Dhabi's Business Centre's Report pointed out that in terms of legal form, Individual Establishments continued to have the lion’s share of businesses, with 72,278 licenses (66% of the total licenses), followed by 24,670 L.L.C. companies, 11,677 branches of companies or establishments, 341 General Partnerships, 216 Commandite Companies, 112 Public Joint-Stock Companies, 92 Private Joint-Stock Companies and finally some 29 cooperatives.

The report monitored business activity transactions in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi in 2015, revealing that these included 73,392 license renewals, 25,327 amendments of commercial licenses, 28,316 trade name registrations, 3,330 new permissions, 8,328 approvals of promotional offers, 633 draw permits, 250 approval of trade activity signage, and the issuance of 26,347 letters about practicing commercial activities in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi. 1,979 trade licenses were cancelled.

Khalifa bin Salem Al Mansouri, DED's Acting Under-Secretary, said that the general trend of the number of new trade licenses issued in 2015 reflects Abu Dhabi’s constantly attractive business environment and investment climate which attracts businessmen to set up various new businesses to tap available opportunities in Abu Dhabi economy.

"This comes while the DED strives, through its Abu Dhabi Business Center, to enhance Abu Dhabi competitiveness in attracting new investments in all areas through streamlined registration and start-up processes and developing the services provided to investors and businessmen," he said.

The Under-Secretary quoted several projects and initiatives carried out by ADBC, such as the e-link with government bodies involved in the licensing process, the launching of smart service applications on smart phones and the e-services available on the DED website.

He noted that the DED's Business Cycle Index for 2015 indicates the optimism generally prevailing amongst all kind of businesses (industrial, commercial, services and construction) and their positive assessment of current circumstances whether in terms of their internal activities, business sectors or the economy at large. This, he said, is due to high expectations within businesses towards continued improvement of Abu Dhabi's economic performance over the coming period, which is reflected, in turn, on the size of sales and the prices of products.

"The increase in the number of new trade licenses over the last two years demonstrates the attractiveness of the business environment in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi and the optimism of investors and businessmen under the governmental policies and procedures that support business environment, not to mention the financial allocations announced by the government of Abu Dhabi at the beginning of 2014 to finance many development projects," he added.

Talking about the trends of trade license index in 2015, he said that it proved the attractiveness of the emirate's business environment and investment climate in spite of the recent developments in the region and the oil markets in the second half of last year; a clear indication of the ability of non-oil sector to withstand the challenges of such developments. 

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