Abu Dhabi:
His Highness Shaikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, chaired a cabinet meeting at the Presidential Palace in Abu Dhabi yesterday.
The meeting approved a number of plans, laws and regulations on a number of vital issues during Tuesday’s meeting, which was held in the presence of Lt General Shaikh Saif Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister of the UAE and Minister of Interior, and Shaikh Mansour Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister of the UAE and Minister of Presidential Affairs.
The Cabinet endorsed a legislative framework to put forward a law for volunteer work in the UAE, in line with the Year of Giving initiative. The law aims to maximise the benefits of volunteer work across the UAE through coordinating initiatives and creating innovative incentives. It also ensures that volunteer work is in line with the UAE vision and strategy while ensuring highest standards of quality and efficiency. The law, which targets both institutions and individuals, will serve as a reference and require adequate documentation of all voluntary work in the UAE.
On the environmental front, the National Plan for Climate Change for the years 2017-2050 was approved by the Cabinet. The plan aims to consolidate all efforts at the national level, and outline future strategies and policies contributing to the achievement of UAE Vision 2021 pertaining to enhanced sustainable environment and strong global leadership in climate change issues, in line with the Paris Climate Accord.
The Cabinet also approved standardisation of the Made in UAE label. The national label of origin will impose a number of criteria for usage, registration, renewal and permits. The label seeks to strengthen the manufacturing sector as a whole and to introduce a new approach based on science and technology.
The Cabinet also adopted Regulations for the Federal Law on Food Safety to ensure food safety and sustainability of local production. The law protects public health by reducing food-borne diseases and protecting consumers from counterfeit food or items not approved for consumption, as well as facilitate the flow of food products in a convenient and easy way to and from the UAE. The new regulations will also contribute to social and economic development by maintaining the confidence of consumers and stakeholders in the food industry in the UAE market.
The Cabinet approved the issuance of a federal law to regulate media activities. The law will identify the general principles, framework, and standards controlling the issuance of media licences, as well as all media activities, and monitoring media content in the state according to the laws and regulations, and in accordance with the public policies of the state and the directives of the federal government. The law also aims at assisting media outlets in fulfilling their roles in UAE economic development.
In regulatory affairs, the Cabinet adopted the consolidated final accounts for the fiscal year 2016, and approved the restructuring of the UAE Space Agency Board chaired by Ahmad Abdullah Belhoul Al Falasi, and the Telecommunications Regulatory Authority Board chaired by Talal Hamid Belhoul.
The Cabinet adopted and ratified a number of international conventions. These agreements come within the framework of the UAE’s keenness to strengthen its ties with the international community.
