The United Arab Emirates Ministry of Economy and Tourism has reminded private joint-stock companies whose financial year ended on 31 December 2025 that they must hold their annual general meetings by 30 June 2026. The meeting is a legal requirement under the Commercial Companies Law and is needed to approve audited financial statements, discuss governance reports and adopt strategic decisions. Failure to meet the deadline is treated as a breach that can trigger administrative sanctions. Sanctions follow an escalating approach, starting with a warning and a period to correct the breach and extending to fines of up to AED 10 million, with stricter measures for repeat noncompliance. The ministry also linked the annual general meeting requirement to continued legal registration, noting that renewal of a company’s register entry depends on submitting annual general meeting minutes and audited financial statements under Ministerial Decision No. 137 of 2024. It added that registration renewal and approval to convene annual general meetings are now fully digital and immediate through its online services, unless special decisions require additional review. The ministry said it is monitoring compliance through supervisory systems, with particular attention to the quality of governance reports, regulatory controls and financial disclosure. It also reiterated the requirement for female representation on boards under Ministerial Decision No. 137 of 2024 and said annual general meetings can use virtual attendance and electronic voting.

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