New Dubai Law To Tackle Wide Range Of E-Commerce Issues

by Lorys Charambolous, Tax-news.com, Cyprus

11 April 2001

Last month we reported that the Dubai Internet City (DIC) was in the final stages of completing a draft of a new cyber law. According to media reports from Dubai, the new legislation - due for passage in June - actually contains a series of wide-ranging laws that will cover the entire ambit of e-commerce and Internet issues.

In a keynote speech at the Arab E-Banking and E-Security Summit this week, DIC chief executive Ahmad bin Byat, said: 'The new law will address issues of e-security, signature, authentication and confidentiality of information.'

Indicating the need for such legislation Mr Byat told his audience that 42 per cent of UAE companies have announced plans to set up e-commerce operations by the end of this year and 88 per cent already have Internet access: 'But,' he asked, 'how many take the security threat seriously and have armed themselves against security risks?'

According to Major General Dhahi Khalfan Tamim, chief of Dubai Police, who officially inaugurated the conference's exhibition, cybercrime in Dubai is currently relatively low there is an urgent need to implement e-legislation into the country's infrastructure. He said: 'E-crime is currently minimal in Dubai but we should embark on educational campaigns to make companies and consumers aware of e-security issues and how to better handle electronic services.'

He also said that law enforcement officials plan to offer a range of electronic services - including payment of fines and the issue and renewal of driving licences - sometime next month. 'Of our total 10,000 staff strength, over 1,500 are already engaged in e-related operations. We expect all our staff to be fully online in seven years', he explained.

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