FTA, UAE Media Council raise awareness of tax compliance

Staff Reporter, Gulf Today

The Federal Tax Authority (FTA), in collaboration with the UAE Media Council and in the presence of representatives from the New Media Academy, has held an awareness session for content creators and influencers on the topic of tax compliance in the UAE. These sessions are part of the FTA’s ongoing and wider efforts to highlight tax compliance requirements for corporate tax and VAT, in the UAE and companies eligible to pay UAE federal taxes.

During this session, the FTA emphasised the importance of enhancing knowledge of tax procedures for all taxpayers, as part of an awareness plan that aims to raise tax awareness among all segments of society. Such efforts are also part of the FTA’s commitment to support all business sectors and give them access to the tools to enable self-compliance with UAE tax legislation, ensuring business continuity and sustainable growth.

Khalid Ali Al Bustani, Director-General of the FTA, said: “We are pleased to collaborate with the UAE Media Council in organising this important awareness session, which comes as part of the FTA’s ongoing engagement with content creators and influencers across numerous awareness campaigns and programmes, all of which enable them to understand tax obligations – for themselves, as well as for relaying information to their audiences.

“On this occasion, we are also pleased to announce the launch of the Moáther Package. Designed to meet the needs of content creators and influencers, this package includes innovative solutions and accounting software developed in collaboration with our partners to support creators and influencers in achieving tax compliance flexibly and conveniently.”

He added: “At the FTA, we believe in the vital role of influencers in spreading knowledge about tax culture. Many have already been key partners in the success of many awareness campaigns over the past few years and have partnered with the FTA to deliver tax messages to the community in innovative ways, reaching different audiences across multiple platforms with simple language.”

The FTA, in cooperation with various stakeholders, endeavours to spread tax culture among all taxable groups and facilitate the understanding of relevant legislation and procedures to promote voluntary compliance through simplified and effective methods based on international best practices. This helps ensure smooth and accurate tax enforcement, in line with the country’s aspirations to establish a transparent, fair and sustainable tax system.

Also commenting on today’s announcement, His Excellency Mohammed Saeed Al Shehhi, Secretary-General of the UAE Media Council, said: “Empowering content creators and influencers with legislative and tax knowledge is a pivotal part of our shared vision to build a sustainable media sector that is compliant with its tax responsibilities. Such efforts help us keep pace with rapid digital transformations and enhance our commitment to corporate standards.”

He also indicated that organising a specialised awareness session on tax compliance in cooperation with the Federal Tax Authority is a qualitative step that contributes to raising professional awareness and consolidating the culture of compliance and responsibility among content creators in the UAE, noting that this step reflects the close integration between media legislation and the tax system in the UAE, which ensures an integrated regulatory environment that supports the sustainable professional growth of the media sector and enhances its ability to attract investment.

Al Shehhi added: “Today, the content economy is one of the main pillars of the new media sector, and it is essential to equip those working in this field with the necessary legal and tax knowledge to ensure the continuity of their business within the legislative and legal frameworks adopted in the UAE. This session is a practical platform to expand their understanding of the tax system and simplify tax compliance procedures.”

The Secretary-General of the UAE Media Council further emphasised that the Council is committed to expanding partnerships with relevant federal entities to enhance the professional awareness of media professionals and enable content creators to fulfil their role as active contributors to the country’s economic development.

The session itself included enquiries and questions from content creators, with the FTA team on hand to provide a thorough explanation of tax obligations of content creators in achieving full tax compliance.

The FTA has previously launched similar awareness workshops, including those to introduce Excise Tax in 2017, VAT in January 2018, and Corporate and Business Tax in June 2023.

The Federal Tax Authority was established by Federal Decree-Law No. (13) of 2016 to help diversify the national economy and increase non-oil revenues in the UAE through the management and collection of federal taxes based on international best practices and standards, as well as to provide all means of support to enable taxpayers to comply with the tax laws and procedures. Since its inception in 2017, the FTA has been committed to cooperate with the competent authorities to establish a comprehensive and balanced system to make the UAE one of the first countries in the world to implement a fully electronic tax system.