Jurisdiction(s):
United Kingdom

Key definition

Investments definition

What does Investments mean? In practice, investments are financial products or rights acquired with the expectation of income or capital growth, such as shares, bonds, fund units and derivatives. In UK financial services law, however, the regulated concept is “specified investments” under the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 (Regulated Activities) Order 2001 (SI 2001/544) (RAO). This defined list includes, among others, shares, debentures and loan stock, government and public securities, warrants, units in a collective investment scheme, options and futures, contracts for differences, and rights under a contract of insurance. Whether a firm must be authorised, may communicate financial promotions, or owes particular...

UAE foreign investment and merger control: decentralised approvals, sectoral ownership limits and green lists under Companies Law 2021; evolving turnover thresholds and procedures under Competition Law 2023

Published by a LexisNexis Competition expert

Practice notes

1. What is the applicable legislation?

Federal Law 32/2021 on Commercial Companies (Companies Law 2021) is the primary statute regulating the United Arab Emirates (UAE) foreign direct investment framework. Issued at the close of 2021, it formed part of wider federal reforms designed to modernise the UAE’s legal landscape across multiple fields and to attract overseas capital. The Companies Law 2021 superseded both Federal Law 2/2015 on Commercial Companies (the Old Companies Law 2015) and Federal Law 19/2018 on Foreign Direct Investment. Traditionally, UAE legislation mandated that UAE nationals hold a majority interest in all onshore UAE companies, with foreign Ownership limited to 49%. From 27 September 2020, Federal Decree 26/2020 amended the Old Companies Law 2015, permitting up to 100% foreign ownership of onshore entities in defined circumstances. Taking effect on 2 January 2022, the Companies Law 2021, which replaced the Old Companies Law 2015, continues to allow up to 100% foreign ownership for onshore UAE companies. The UAE legislature has also introduced fresh incentives to spur FDI, including further easing of foreign ownership limits in a range of sectors...

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Dr. Nicolas Bremer

BREMER

Nicolas is a partner and attorney with the regional law firm BREMER where he heads the firm's Antitrust & Merger Control and Mergers & Acquisitions (M&A) teams. He oversees the firm's Riyadh and Cairo representations and has extensive experience in advising international and domestic clients on merger control and antitrust matters as well as mergers and acquisitions and joint venture transactions in Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Egypt and the wider Near and Middle East. He works in English, Arabic and German language. Prior to joining BREMER Dr. Bremer worked for different international law firms in Berlin, Cairo, Dubai and London. He holds a PhD, which he obtained working on the regulation of large-scale fresh water development in the Near and Middle East under international and domestic law. Dr. Bremer frequently publishes on the law of the Near and Middle East and...

Maryam Abdelgwad

BREMER

Maryam is a senior associate of the regional law firm, BREMER, and part of the firms Antitrust & Merger Control team. She specialises in competition and foreign direct investment (FDI) regulations of Kuwait and the larger Middle East, and advises international corporates on merger control and antitrust as well as FDI matters including investment protection. She works in English and Arabic languages....

Web page updated on 22/05/2026

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