Digest June – July 2026
Dear Colleagues,
We are pleased to present the latest issue of our monthly digest of tax and legal news from the Gulf countries, covering the most significant developments across the region in June and July 2026.
In the UAE, the Federal Tax Authority consolidated the Tax Refunds for Tourists Scheme and reduced the fixed refund fee, issued four VAT Directives addressing judicial expert services, adjustments after a member exits a VAT group, the conversion of digital currency into UAE Dirham and the treatment of fees under life insurance contracts, published a summary of Corporate Tax private clarifications and an updated Private Clarifications Guide, clarified the requirements for downward transfer pricing adjustments, adopted the latest OECD Pillar Two guidance, introduced a new agreed-upon procedures reporting requirement for Qualifying Free Zone Persons engaged in distribution activities, and released a new VAT guide for the education sector. The Ministry of Finance and the FTA also launched the pilot phase of the UAE’s national Electronic Invoicing System, while the FTA’s 2025 Annual Report recorded continued growth in tax revenues and registrations.
Saudi Arabia introduced a new corporate and registration framework for its Special Economic Zones and extended the Cancellation of Fines and Exemption from Financial Penalties Initiative until 31 December 2026. Qatar implemented a new tiered excise tax on sweetened drinks. Oman published updated practical guidance on its Fawtara e-invoicing rollout, including implementation phases and transaction-reporting timelines. Kuwait strengthened its participation in international tax transparency arrangements by signing multilateral agreements on Country-by-Country Reporting and the updated Common Reporting Standard, and outlined plans for new levies on multinationals and selected consumer goods from FY2027/28.
Full analysis is available at the link below: