United Arab Emirates

Note: This law has not been reviewed by our legal staff and was not relied upon for purposes of our analysis. We are providing it here for informational purposes only.

COMMENTS: GCC Standardization Organization (GSO) Technical Regulation 597/2009 contains standardization provisions for cigarettes, including emissions limits of tar, nicotine, and carbon monoxide.

COMMENTS: Federal Law No. 15 Regarding Tobacco Control is the principal law governing tobacco control in the United Arab Emirates. The Act is comprehensive and provides for restrictions on smoking in public places; restrictions on tobacco advertising, promotion and sponsorship; health warnings on packaging and labeling; and licensing of residential cafés that sell tobacco, among other subjects.

COMMENTS: Cabinet Decision No. 12 of 2011 Adopting a Mandatory UAE Standard (Technical Regulation) Regarding Labeling of Tobacco Product Packs adopts the packaging and labeling technical regulations established by the Gulf Cooperation Council Standardization Organization (GSO).

COMMENTS: Standard Specifications, Adopting GSO 246/2011 on Labeling of Tobacco Product Packages implements the packaging and labeling provision of Federal Law No. 15 by establishing requirements for pack warnings and other labeling.

COMMENTS: Cabinet Decision No. 24 of 2013 Concerning the Implementation Regulation for the Federal Tobacco Control Act elaborates upon many of the provisions of Federal Law No. 15 Regarding Tobacco Control. Areas covered include: restrictions on advertising, promotion and sponsorship; sales of tobacco products; restrictions on smoking in public places; requirements for designated smoking areas; and licensing of residential cafés that sell tobacco.

COMMENTS: GCC Standardization Organization (GSO) Technical Regulation 2390/2014 contains a list of additives that are permitted and a list of additives that are prohibited in tobacco products.

COMMENTS: The Emirates Authority for Standardization & Metrology (ESMA) issued UAE.S 5030:2018 to regulate e-cigarettes and heated tobacco products. The standard includes provisions regulating devices, e-liquids, disclosure requirements, and packaging and labeling.