The United Arab Emirates Ministry of Economy and Tourism organized the first Global Summit on Digital Trade and Digital Platforms in Dubai, in cooperation with the United Nations Commission on International Trade Law (UNCITRAL). The event focused on leveraging the UAE's Federal Decree-Law No. 14 of 2023 on Trading by Modern Technological Means as a model for developing a new global legal framework for digital trade and digital platforms.
This initiative aims to enhance the competitiveness of legislative ecosystems for digital trade worldwide. The summit was attended by UAE Minister of Economy and Tourism H.E. Abdulla bin Touq Al Marri, UNCITRAL Secretary Ms. Anna Joubin-Bret, and representatives from more than 15 international institutions, technical teams, legal experts, and private sector innovators.
The forum advanced global dialogue on establishing comprehensive legal frameworks that support innovation in digital trade. It builds on a proposal submitted by the UAE during the 67th session of UNCITRAL Working Group IV on e-commerce in Vienna in November 2024, which presented the UAE's digital trade law as a model legislative reference. Spain later joined the proposal, and it was officially adopted by UNCITRAL last July, mandating the UNCITRAL Secretariat to begin exploratory work on digital trade legal aspects.
The UAE initiative has garnered support from leading organizations including Dubai CommerCity, Majid Al Futtaim Group, Al Khayyat Group, Al Tamimi & Company, and LexisNexis. H.E. Bin Touq stated that under its leadership's guidance, the UAE has begun exporting legislative models to the world, setting benchmarks for countries developing modern legal frameworks.
This development strengthens the UAE's position as a global hub for digital and new economies, particularly digital trade, showcasing the nation's advanced experience in economic diversification and openness to global markets. The summit featured panel discussions on regional and global mechanisms for governing digital platforms, ways to advance digital commerce, growth opportunities in sectors like FinTech and data solutions, and addressing related challenges.
Participants examined the latest technological innovations supporting digital economic development and their role in shaping value chains and facilitating cross-border data and service flows. The potential adoption of UAE legislation as an international standard could significantly impact global e-commerce by creating more consistent regulatory environments, reducing legal uncertainties for businesses operating across borders, and promoting innovation in digital trade platforms.
For industries ranging from financial technology to data services, standardized regulations could lower compliance costs and accelerate international expansion. The summit represents a significant step toward harmonizing digital trade laws globally, with implications for how countries regulate emerging technologies and cross-border digital transactions in the coming years.
