Chairman of the Executive Council Resolution No. (14) of 2019 Concerning the Issuance of the Executive Regulations of Law No. (4) of 2016 concerning the Cultural Heritage of the Emirate of Abu Dhabi

Article 1 — Definitions ¶

In implementation of the provisions of the present Regulations, the following
terms and expressions shall have the meanings assigned thereto, unless the

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context requires otherwise:
State : The United Arab Emirates
Emirate : The Emirate of Abu Dhabi
Executive
Council
: The Executive Council of the Emirate
Department : The Department of Culture and Tourism
Law : Law No. (4) of 2016 concerning the cultural heritage of
the Emirate of Abu Dhabi
Cultural
Heritage
: Anything that has a cultural significance by nature,
whether it is a tangible or intangible heritage, and
is attributed to the Emirate in accordance with the
provisions of the Law, and anything else that the
Executive Council decides to consider as cultural
heritage.
Tangible Cultural
Heritage
: Any Tangible heritage featuring a cultural significance,
whether it is an immovable or movable property,
including antiquities, historical monuments,
compounds and buildings, as well as cultural sites and
cultural natural landscapes, and modern architectural
heritage, according to the provisions of the present
Regulations.
Intangible
Cultural
Heritage
: Any non-material cultural heritage representing the
perceptions and practices, as well as the forms of
expression, knowledge, skills and whatever is related
thereto such as instruments, objects, artefacts and
any places considered by the Nationals of the Emirate
as a part of their Cultural Heritage which is transmitted
from one generation to other and which strengthens
their sense of identity and Sense of continuity.
Cultural Sites : The sites which contain the result of human or nature’s
work related one way or another to human history and
including all the sites which feature Tangible Cultural
Heritage.

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Historic
Buildings
: The building of cultural significance whether be
complete or incomplete as determined by the provisions
of the present Regulations.
Cultural
Significance
: Any extraordinary symbolic value from a technical,
scientific, literary, religious, aesthetic, archaeological,
social, representational, cognitive, ethnological or
anthropological point of view, or any value attributed to
the rarity of the thing, or for being a unique landscape,
or for having a heritage, symbolic or architectural
value, or a value related to history including the
history of sciences, technology as well as the political,
military or social history, in addition to the biography
of the national leaders, intellectuals, writers, scientists
and artists, and the important events witnessed by
the Emirate, as per the discretion authority of the
Department.
Owner : Any person whose ownership of a Tangible Cultural
Heritage was proved according to the legislations
in force in the Emirate. Should it be impossible to
determine the owner, then the actual possessor of
the Tangible Cultural Heritage shall assume all the
obligations prescribed for the owner in the Law or the
present Regulations.
Surrounding
Area:
The area surrounding the Cultural Site as determined
by the Department and indicated on the planning maps
in coordination with the competent authorities, and as
registered with the Cultural Site in the Register.
Exploration : An organised field work programme with specific
scientific goals comprising digging, excavation and
detection on the surface, in the underground or in
territorial waters in order to discover antiquities.
Possession : The acquisition of a Tangible Cultural Heritage by
ownership, tenancy, exploitation, lending or other legal
means.
Preliminary
Cultural
Inspection
: The inspection of a specific region that is subject
to urban development before implementing any
construction or infrastructure projects. This may
include carrying out some exploration works.

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Private Museum : A site or building, or a part thereof, which is permanently
established and meets all the technical standards
prescribed by the Department. It displays various
valuables, documents, antiquities, as well as heritage,
cultural, educational, touristic, natural or artistic tools
or others, for the purpose of education, research,
entertainment or other objectives. It shall be open for
the public to develop the culture of the community and
the promotion of tourism.
Reconsideration
Committee
: The reconsideration committee that is formed in the
Department according to the legislations in force.
Licence : The licence granted for the practice of the activities
prescribed as per the provisions of the this Regulations.
Register : The Register(s) established by the Department to
record any data or information related to the elements
of Cultural Heritage and whatever is related thereto
such as maps, documents among many others, in
accordance with the provisions of the Law and this
Regulations.
Registered/
Protected
Tangible Cultural
Heritage
: Any historic region, antiquities or landmark that is
listed in the Register including all the elements of such
region, antiquities or monuments, including buildings,
monuments, urban style, walls, castles, forts,
engineering constructions, oasis, natural environment,
as well as the scope of protection and easement rights
of such sites, in addition to all their particulars and
components and any elements related thereto; they
shall be subject to the rights and implications resulting
from the registration of the site as per the provisions
of the Law as well as the present Resolutions and the
resolutions issued thereunder.
Restoration : Special technical process aiming at preserving the
Cultural Site or the historic monument, in order to
emphasize their aesthetic, construction and historic
value, and repairing any damaged parts without
prejudice to the nature of its original construction
materials and components and its relationship with its
surrounding, and without any addition thereto.

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Reconstruction : The reconstruction of any Cultural Site that has been
damaged because of any disaster or war or other
damages, using any modern construction materials to
return it to its previous state, in order to preserve it. The
decision of whether or not to perform reconstruction
shall be made by technical experts and specialists in
this field at the Department, provided that they provide
detailed documented information about the building
during the past time period during which the building
was constructed.
Rehabilitation : The reuse of a Cultural Site of an average importance
while making limited changes on its internal spaces, in
order to benefit therefrom, preserve it and to ensure
its continuity.
Management of
the Cultural Site
: Supervision or control of the Cultural Site and its
surroundings in order to preserve the sources of
Cultural Heritage, maintain them, and use them properly
through proper planning of sustainable development
according to the technical conditions and procedures
approved by the Department.

Article 2 — Scope of Implementation of the Executive Regulation ¶

The provisions of the present Regulations shall apply to the Cultural Heritage,
and to the foreign Tangible Cultural Heritage within the limits of what has
been provided for in the Law and the present Regulations.

Article 3 — Ownership of the Cultural Heritage ¶

1. The Owner of the land shall not be owner of any Tangible Cultural Heritage
available therein unless otherwise is proved before the Department or the
competent court.
2. The Owner of a land containing any Tangible Cultural Heritage shall neither
build thereon nor exploit it in any form unless with the prior permission
of the Department, in accordance with the conditions and controls
determined thereby.

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Article 4 — Material and Moral Incentives ¶

1. The Department may provide material and moral incentives to any
natural or corporate person contributing to the preservation of the
Cultural Heritage in accordance with the provisions of the Law and the
present Regulations. Such incentives may be in the form of exemptions,
technical assistance, material rewards, consultations or any other forms
of incentives or exemptions determined by the Department.
2. Material and moral incentives shall be granted according to the application
submitted by the department concerned with the Cultural Heritage at the
Department along with a report supported by the necessary documents
and stating the reasons of granting such incentive.
3. Incentive shall be granted to the possessor of the Tangible Cultural
Heritage registered in the Register, for the purpose of maintenance,
Restoration, Reconstruction or Rehabilitation thereof.
4. Material and moral incentives shall be granted to any person, not
employed at the Department, who reports about finding antiquities by
accident or provides any information about the presence of antiquities in
any place inside the Emirate. Two or more incentives of those stipulated
in the present Regulations may be allocated to the same person.
5. The Department may grant material or moral incentives to whomever
contributes to the achievement of the objectives of the Law and the
present Regulations, without being an employee at the Department,
including financial incentives to the civil society institutions, and to the
members of the committees established by the Department or to the
members of the society.
6. Material and moral incentives shall be granted based on the proposal of
the department concerned with Cultural Heritage at the Department, and
based on the recommendation of the Undersecretary of the Department
and the resolution of the Chairman of the Department who may issue
any instructions determining the rewards, incentives and conditions of
granting such rewards and incentives without referring to him in each
specific case.
7. In cases other than granting incentives to committees, consultants
and experts, material or moral incentives shall be granted based on an
application submitted by the concerned person to the Department on
the form prepared for this purpose, with all supporting documents. The
application shall be referred to the department concerned with Cultural

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Heritage at the Department so that said department study, express its
opinion thereon, and provide the Undersecretary of the Department
with a recommendation to grant or not to grant the requested incentives
and the reasons in this regard.
8. The Undersecretary of the Department shall submit the application, the
opinion and recommendation of the department concerned with the
Cultural Heritage at the Department, as well as all supporting documents
and his point of view to the Chairman of the Department. In the light of
that, the Chairman of the Department shall take the appropriate decision
regarding the requested incentives.
9. The Department shall grant material incentives to the possessor of
a Cultural Heritage for maintenance and Restoration thereof should
the possessor be unable to repair such heritage totally or partially.
Incentives shall also be granted to the persons who are financially able
to repair the Tangible Cultural Heritage within the amount determined
by the Department from the repair expenditures approved thereby. The
Department may verify this matter in the manner it deems appropriate.
10. The Department shall bear all the expenses of the maintenance,
Restoration, Reconstruction, or Rehabilitation of the immovable Tangible
Cultural Heritage, in case such Heritage is exploited thereby for public
interests.
11. No maintenance, Restoration, Reconstruction, or Rehabilitation of the
Tangible Cultural Heritage may be performed unless after obtaining the
prior permission of the Department, otherwise the possessor shall not
benefit from the incentives unless the repair is an urgent matter that
may not be delayed, as per the discretion of the Department.
12. In order to grant incentives, the possessor shall abide by the resolutions
of the Department, in addition to other conditions stipulated in the
Law and the present Regulations, regarding the use, preservation and
maintenance of the Tangible Cultural Heritage. Maintenance shall be
performed in conformity with international standards, and the materials
of repair shall be those allowed by the Law.
13. The Department may perform maintenance, Restoration, Reconstruction
or Rehabilitation directly through its employees, `may entrust such works
to another person, may request the possessor to perform the repair
works in accordance with the conditions determined thereby, such as
the submittal of proper invoices including the expenses of such repairs,
or may provide the possessor with the necessary repair materials..

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14. In case of multiple persons requesting an incentive for the same thing,
then the incentive determined by the Department shall be equally
distributed among them. However, the Department may grant a separate
financial incentive to each of them as per the discovered antiquity and
the Significance thereof for the Emirate and according to any other
circumstances related to said antiquity.
15. The Department may cancel and withdraw the material incentive in case
it has been proved that the concerned person does not deserve it for
legal reasons, or for information received from any entities related to the
works of the relevant committees and institutions.
16. In case the information or the antiquities discovered by accident are
related to many sites, or in case the movable antiquities discovered by
accident are numerous, then the Department may grant a cash incentive
for each site or movable antiquity, as per the discretion of the Department
and depending the discovered antiquity and the Significance thereof for
the Emirate and based on any other circumstances related thereto.

Article 5 — Elements of the Tangible Cultural Heritage ¶

The Tangible Cultural Heritage is any tangible heritage has a cultural
significance whether it is movable or immovable, including antiquities,
historical complexes and buildings, Cultural Sites, cultural landscapes and
modern architectural heritage, including the following:
1. Cultural Sites: The sites that contain the result of human or nature’s
work and are related one way or another to human history and including
all the sites which feature Tangible Cultural Heritage. The main protected
areas and the surrounding areas protecting such sites as well as the
Historic Buildings and other cultural sites having a Cultural Significance
that is determined by the Department and located within the limits of
the Cultural Sites.
2. Antiquities including the following:
a. Any movable or immovable Tangible Cultural Heritage that was
produced, built, manufactured, carved, engraved, written, drawn,
pictured, amended, drilled or occupied by man, or was naturally formed
one hundred years ago within the territories of the Emirate, or was

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discovered on the surface of the earth, or underground, in its inland or
territorial waters as long as it represents a rare or unique value on the
historical, artistic, scientific, literary, religious, natural, architectural or
construction level or any other level affecting humanity; or considered
as a manifestation of the civilisation’s development in the Emirate,
including any part that was added thereto after this date without
causing any prejudice to its essential constitutive characteristic while
becoming an integral part thereof.
b. The human, plant or animal remains of rare or unique value dating
back to before year 600 AD.
c. Whatever is considered by the competent Federal authority or the
Department a national antiquity given its Cultural Significance in
accordance with the applicable legislations.
d. Any movable or immovable Tangible Cultural Heritage that was
constructed, made, sculpted, carved, written, painted, illustrated,
modified or used by man in the land territory or maritime area of the
Emirate, or results from the work of man or nature, and includes the
human, environmental and plant remains as well as substances of
natural origins which have been changed by man, or any movable thing
among the abovementioned matters of Cultural Significance. This
shall be determined by examination of the substances and cultural
materials that shall be registered in the Register such as the urban
environment, the remains of the living creatures and the cultural
landmarks, to demonstrate the content and evolution of the places,
people and cultures which have evolved, as per the cultural value and
Significance regardless of the chronological age.
3. Fossils: The places of geological formations where fossils may be found,
they take the form of vertebrates and invertebrates and/or fossil of
plants, as well as the prints of fossils.
4. Underwater Cultural Heritage: Any Tangible Cultural Heritage that is
formed as a result of the human existence, or it is human-made heritage
that remained totally or partially underwater in the Emirate, periodically or
continuously, for at least 100 years, unless the Department determines
a shorter period. This includes underwater sites and buildings, sites of

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shipwrecks, remains of any wreck and their natural and archaeological
context, in addition to the remains of underwater human activities such
as the parts that were recovered therefrom and the underwater natural
sites.
5. Antiques and Museum Pieces: Artefacts that are not linked to or
integrated into a structure or place within the cultural sites, but
historically related thereto.
6. Complexes: A group of separate or connected buildings having a
Cultural Significance due to their architecture, coherence or integration
in a natural or urban cultural landscape.
7. Historic Buildings: Building of Cultural Significance whether it is
complete or incomplete, such as any building or structure or even a
part of a building that was constructed with traditional construction
materials and techniques. These buildings may be classified as such
through a Preliminary Cultural Examination, survey, excavation and other
means. A building may be classified as historical by a resolution of the
Chairman of the Department based upon the recommendation of the
Undersecretary of the Department if it features a Cultural Significance
that requires so, regardless of its chronological age.
8. Modern Cultural Heritage: A heritage of Cultural Significance, whether
it is complete or incomplete, resulting from the human creativity that
is based on the important evolutions that took place after discovery
of oil, and after changing the traditional method of construction. Said
heritage includes the modern architectural environment, the structures,
buildings, neighbourhoods, sites, regions, landscapes among many
others, based on their cultural value and Significance and regardless of
their chronological age.
9. Protection Areas: Geographically determined Urban or rural areas of
Cultural Significance, including buildings, streets, fields, urban style,
artworks, gardens and cultural landscapes therein. The following
requirements shall be observed:
• Protection Areas shall be determined in cooperation with the
competent entities in the Emirate, and shall be classified as Protection
Areas in the geographic information system (spatial data system) and

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shall be indicated on the land system according to reference numbers
and on the system of construction licences.
• All conditions for the development and construction activities around
the Protection Areas and their surroundings shall be determined in
coordination with the concerned entities in the Emirate.
• Classifying an area for urban conservation does not mean that
construction or development activities are prohibited, instead, such
works shall be controlled to protect these areas for future generations
and to maintain the identity thereof.
• Any development for any part of the Protection Area shall be carried
out through any private or governmental entity, based on a prior
approval from the Department and in coordination therewith to this
effect.
10. Cultural Landscapes: The landscapes which were naturally formed in
a specific region as a result of a material or non-material interaction
between man and his natural environment, have a great role in explaining
the development and stability of the society in the Emirate with the
passage of time, and deserve to be registered in the world heritage
list, as per the discretion of the Department. Cultural landscapes are
divided into two main categories:
Category 1: The landscapes that are precisely determined and
deliberately designed or created by man. This category includes the
natural locations of the gardens designed for aesthetic purposes, and
which are oftenly related to buildings and religious complexes among
many others.
Category 2: The functionally developed landscapes which are initially
established for social, economic, administrative and/or religious
purposes, then their actual form has changed during interaction with
their natural environment. This evolution process manifests in the
form and features of these landscapes which are divided into two sub-
categories:
• Old Landscape (fossil): It witnesses an evolution process in a certain
era in the past, whether suddenly or for a period of time, and such
evolution is still physically visible.

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• Continuous Landscape: It has maintained in the modern society an
active social role that is closely linked to the traditional way of life, and
its evolution is still ongoing, while keeping prominent tangible signs
indication its evolution over the time.
11. The Cultural Significance characterising a cultural site involves several
values and standards which are assessed as per the analysis of the
technical experts at the Department, as Cultural Significance does
not derive from the physical existence of heritage assets only, but also
from their surroundings. The Cultural Significance is also reflected in
the heritage asset itself and the importance of its transfer to future
generations and in the elements of determination of its structure, forms,
location, surroundings, space, use, connections or social and cultural
values.
12. The area surrounding a Cultural Site shall be considered as a natural,
environmental, aesthetic, visual or legal extension thereof, and shall
have a main role in preserving its integrity for the purpose of protecting it
from deformation, urbanisation or environmental risks. The surrounding
area shall be directly attached to the registered site and all areas
supporting and protecting the cultural site. The protection area shall be
determined through the technical mechanisms and procedures applied
at the Department, in coordination with the Department of Urban
Planning and Municipalities and all relevant entities. The Protection
Area shall not be considered as a part of the Protected Area, and any
amendments regarding the Protected Area require the prior approval of
the Department.
13. Historic Environment: All environment aspects resulting from the
interaction between individuals and places over the time, such as any
tangible remains that witnessed past human activities, whether visible,
buried or submerged in water, or whether they are among cultural views
or cultivated plants.

Article 6 — The Authority Concerned with Cultural Heritage and its Competences ¶

The Department shall be the authority in charge of all the matters related

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to Cultural Heritage, and shall exercise all the competencies and powers
deemed necessary to achieve the objectives of the Law and the present
Regulations as per the relevant legislations, in coordination and cooperation
with the concerned Federal and local governmental entities as well as the civil
society institutions, individuals and international entities and organisations
whenever appropriate.

Article 7 — Mechanism and Procedures of Cooperation and Coordination ¶

The Department shall cooperate and coordinate with different Federal and
local governmental entities and other entities, as follows:
1. All relevant local governmental entities, as follows:
• Study the historic and archaeological cultural sites, and particularly
coordinate with the aim to develop the cultural sites for tourism
promotion by concluding agreements, memoranda of understanding
between the Department and the concerned entity.
• Train the tourist guides in the field of introducing the Cultural Heritage
and Cultural Sites, and tourism promotion thereof.
• Organise seminars, exhibitions and festivals concerning Cultural
Heritage and Cultural Sites.
• Coordinate on including Cultural Heritage Courses in the academic
programmes or organise activities in parallel with the academic
curriculum.
2. The Department of Urban Planning and Municipalities, as follows:
• Conclude agreements or memoranda of understandings and cooperate
with the Department of Urban Planning and Municipalities to preserve
the Cultural sites and heritage monuments when carrying out urban
planning, road construction, and other public projects that may impact
and affect the Tangible Cultural Heritage to protect it and preserve its
site as well as the scope of the required rescue operation.
• Coordinate on the development, protection and promotion of the
cultural sites, and establish museums for heritage collectibles;
• Coordinate on participating in the planning of roads and public facilities
in order to preserve the cultural sites and heritage monuments;
allocate spaces for the protection of heritage monuments as per the

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Cultural Significance of the Cultural Heritage and its surrounding
natural landforms.
• Coordinate on setting development plans in the areas surrounding the
Cultural Site.
• Coordinate on laying down development conditions for the lands
located in the Protection Areas related to the cultural site.
• Provide the necessary consultancy about the Emirate’s vision and
future urban development plan in the regions of the Emirate, and verify
the extent to which they are in conformity with the cultural scope and
the plans of preservation of the Cultural Heritage in the Emirate.
• Coordinate on Registered/Protected Tangible Cultural Heritage and
share its digital and spatial data.
3. Civil Society Institutions, as follows:
• Encourage the Civil Society Institutions in the Emirate to protect and
promote Cultural Heritage and Cultural Sites.
• Coordinate with the Civil Society Institutions to set a plan for the
protection of the Cultural Sites which are registered in the local
register and encourage the public to access such sites and become
familiar therewith.
• Support the Civil Society Institutions to organise cultural festivals and
heritage exhibitions in coordination with the Department.
• Encourage the Civil Society Institutions to issue publications and
booklets and enrich the website with any material related to the
dissemination and promotion of the Cultural Heritage of the Emirate.
4. Federal governmental entities, as follows:
• Follow up on the import and export of antiquities with the Federal
authorities and coordinate therewith to transport the Tangible Cultural
Heritage across the State borders.
• Coordinate with the concerned parties to pursuit the stolen or
smuggled antiquities and exchange information related thereto.
• Set inventory programmes for Cultural Heritage Assets and place the
Register on the electronic website to be accessible to other Federal
and local authorities in order to cooperate with one another to protect
such assets.

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• Provide the competent authorities with recommendation regarding the
accession of the State to international agreements and conventions
related to Cultural Heritage and the protection of Cultural Sites.
5. Customs and Police, as follows:
• Coordination between the Department and the services of the land
border crossings and the air and sea entry points (Customs and Police)
to notify about the seizures of smuggled antiquities and protecting the
same.
• Establish an official register to indicate the number of antiquities
seized by the Customs/Police.
• Deliver the seized antiquities to the Department and complete the
seizure procedures according to the applicable legislations.
• Coordinate with the concerned entities at the Customs and Police
on training the persons working at the concerned departments and
organise intensive sessions about the preservation and protection of
the Tangible Cultural Heritage, particularly the movable heritage.
6. International entities and organisations, as follows:
• Combat illicit trade in the movable antiquities and their illegitimate
transfer, including smuggling.
• Seek to conclude any necessary agreements to return any Cultural
Heritage that is illegally outside the country to the Emirate.
• Seek to conclude agreements with neighbouring states regarding the
underwater heritage in the border water area.
• Respect the global human heritage.

Article 8 — Cases of Expropriation of Immovable Tangible Cultural Heritage ¶

1. Subject to the aforesaid Law No. (11) of 2013, the Department may
suggest any expropriation or transfer of possession of any immovable
Tangible Cultural Heritage or any private land containing any antiquities
for the public interest in return for a fair compensation. The Department
shall submit an application for proposal of expropriation or transfer of
possession to the competent entity in the Emirate according to the
applicable legislations.

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2. The department concerned with the Cultural Heritage at the Department
shall prepare a technical report including a recommendation to the
Undersecretary of the Department on the proposal of expropriation or
transfer of possession of any immovable Tangible Cultural Heritage, and
shall complete the necessary procedures according to the applicable
legislations.
3. The procedures of expropriation or transfer of possession of an immovable
Tangible Cultural Heritage for public interest shall be completed according
to the provisions of the Law and the present Regulations, for the purpose
of maintenance, protection and preservation thereof in the following
cases:
• In case the owner refuses or fails to comply with the instructions
of maintenance and protection of the immovable Tangible Cultural
Heritage as prescribed by the Department.
• In case the Possession or the use of the Tangible Cultural Heritage is
contrary to the requirements of preservation thereof, and the owner
refuses to resolve that.
• Any other reason indicated by the Department and deemed necessary
on the technical level to preserve the Tangible Cultural Heritage.

Article 9 — Procedures of Transfer of Possession of the Movable Tangible Cultural ¶

Heritage
The Department shall assume the powers and procedures of transfer of
possession of the movable Tangible Heritage as follows:
1. The Department may transfer the possession of a movable Tangible
Cultural Heritage for the purpose of maintenance and protection
thereof. The compensation to be paid in return shall be assessed by the
Department as per the followed procedures and shall be notified to the
concerned person. In case of disagreement over the compensation to be
paid in return, then the concerned person may file grievance against the
resolution of the Department.
2. The transfer of possession of a movable Tangible Cultural Heritage for the
public interest shall occur by a resolution of the Undersecretary of the

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Department as per the recommendation of the concerned department
with the Cultural Heritage at the Department, provided that the owner is
notified of the resolution and technical opinion in this regard.
3. The Undersecretary of the Department shall issue a resolution on the
formation of a committee of competent experts, as per the recommendation
of the department concerned with Cultural Heritage at the Department,
to assess the compensation. Experts and specialists from outside the
Department may be consulted.
4. The concerned person may file grievance against the assessed value
of compensation before the review committee, within fifteen days from
receiving notification, and the review committee shall issue its resolution
on the objection within fifteen days from the date of submittal thereof.
5. The decisions of the review committee regarding grievances may be
subject to grievance before the Chairman of the Department within fifteen
days from the date of notification of the concerned person thereof, and
the Chairman shall decide on the grievances raised thereto.
6. The concerned person may appeal against the resolutions of the
Department before the competent court if the value of compensation
does not suit him.

Article 10 — Procedures of Preservation of the Tangible Cultural Heritage ¶

1. Tangible Cultural Heritage shall not be damaged or moved; no part thereof
may be moved, and no action may be carried out if it affects such Heritage
in any form whatsoever. The owner shall keep it in its original form, shall
use it as per its prescribed purpose and shall maintain and restore it under
the supervision and control of the Department whenever necessary.
2. The Department, after verifying the lack of technical or financial
capacity of the owner to implement the requirements of preservation,
maintenance and restoration, shall take the necessary procedures in this
regard to preserve the Tangible Cultural Heritage as per the mechanisms
and procedures stipulated in the present Regulations.
3. The Department shall determine for the owner the method of use,
management, preservation, maintenance and restoration of the Tangible

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Cultural Heritage owned thereby. The Department may request that the
owner changes said method at any time, and the owner shall abide by
such instructions.
4. The Department shall inform the possessor of the Historic or heritage
Building about the duties to be carried out thereby to prevent the collapse
or the change of the features of the building. The possessor shall carry
out such duties within six months from notification thereof.
5. In case the aforementioned period lapses and the possessor has not
started to carry out the duties, without any reasonable justifications
accepted by the Department, then the latter shall take the procedures
deemed adequate for the preservation and protection of the Historic or
heritage Building, including the maintenance thereof while keeping it in
the hands of the possessor, or by taking the decision of expropriation
and maintenance thereof as appropriate in return for compensation.
6. No maintenance may be carried out to any building located in the
Surrounding Areas or to any Historic or heritage Building unless with
the prior permission of the Department. Such permission shall not be
granted unless the Department verifies that maintenance is suitable for
the historic and heritage aspects of the Cultural Heritage building or
site, and does not affect the external or internal safety of the historic or
archaeological building.
7. In all cases, the Tangible Cultural Heritage shall not be subject to
maintenance or restoration unless according to the recognised
standards, methods and specifications, and by using the technically
allowed materials as per the procedures determined by the Department.
8. Subject to the procedures of granting material and moral incentives, the
Department may provide the concerned entities with the recommendation
to exempt the materials of maintenance and restoration of the Tangible
Cultural Heritage from all taxes and fees, and may exempt the possessor
of the Cultural Heritage from the fees of maintenance and restoration as
per the applicable legislations.
9. Subject to the procedures of granting material and moral incentives, the
Department – upon verification of the lack of any financial or technical
capacity of the owner to implement the requirements of preservation,

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maintenance and restoration – may take the adequate procedures in
this regard to preserve the Tangible Cultural Heritage.
10. In order to preserve the Tangible Cultural Heritage, the Department
may conduct studies on various aspects of protection, hire experts,
train technicians in this regard, lay down the necessary procedures, and
may request that the owner of the Tangible Cultural Heritage signs an
acknowledgment to abide by the following:
• Conservation of the Cultural Heritage by restoration, renewal,
rehabilitation or reconstruction.
• Duties of the owner and the persons in charge of the Tangible Cultural
Heritage.
• Facilities granted to the public to visit the sites of Tangible Cultural
Heritage, and the employees assigned by the Department to inspect
and protect the Cultural Heritage.
• In case the owner of the Tangible Cultural Heritage does not maintain
it as per the method indicated in the acknowledgment or if he refuses
to implement the instructions thereof, the Department may suggest
expropriation of the immovable Tangible Cultural Heritage according
to Law No. (11) of 2013 concerning the regulation of expropriation for
public interest and its Executive Regulations.

Article 11 — Discovery of Antiquities by Accident ¶

The following procedures shall be followed in case of discovering antiquities
by accident:
1. In case any person has found or discovered any antiquities by accident
or in the course of carrying out any works, then he shall immediately stop
such works in the site and inform the Department or any security agency
about the discovery within 24 hours. In case of failure to report the
discovered antiquities, this shall be considered as a punishable violation
by the Law.
2. Subject to Clause (1) of this Article, the Department may take the
necessary measures to preserve the discovered antiquities, and in
all cases the antiquities which were discovered by accident shall be
considered as a Public Heritage owned by the Emirate unless otherwise
is proved.

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3. The Department may take the necessary measures to preserve the
discovered antiquities, such as the examination of the site and the
excavation of antiquities, in addition to the permanent or temporary
prohibition of any works in said site. The Department may also modify
any plans of the construction works accordingly.
4. The reporting person shall preserve the antiquities until they are delivered
to the Department. The latter, after taking note of the discovery of
antiquities, shall immediately take precautionary measures to protect the
site where they were discovered and shall send competent entities to
verify the antiquities, write a technical report thereon, avoid any damage
that may affect them, and take any adequate protective resolutions and
procedures. For this purpose, the Department may seek the assistance
of any governmental or private entity.

Article 12 — Inspection on Tangible Cultural Heritage ¶

• The following procedures shall be followed to inspect the Tangible Cultural
Heritage:
1. The employees of the Department shall have the power to enter
any cultural site, even if it is occupied by a person, for the purpose
of inspection, study, examination, documentation, illustration or
photography, provided that this is performed during the working hours
and after obtaining a permission from the occupant of the cultural site
at least before 48 hours, unless there is an urgent necessity to enter the
site.
2. The occupant of the cultural site shall provide the employees of the
Department with the necessary facilities which allow them to enter
the building, without impeding their work, to freely move around the
place, and to take the necessary pictures, measurements, drawings and
samples from inside and outside the building, without prejudice to the
rights of the specialised inspectors of the Department to ask for the
assistance of security agencies should they be prevented from carrying
out their professional duties.
• The employees of the Department shall have the power to inspect the
sites of movable Cultural Heritage wherever they exist, for the purpose

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of examining and inspecting them, and for detecting any violation related
thereto. The possessor of such Cultural Heritage may move it to the
Department for inspection instead of inspecting it on site, a matter which
may also take place based upon the request of inspectors.
• The employees of the Department may request that the Owner or the
possessor provides any information, data and documents deemed
necessary for the purpose of search, examination and inspection. The
Owner or the possessor shall comply with such request according to the
procedures in force at the department concerned of inspection at the
Department.

Article 13 — Protection of the Immovable Tangible Cultural Heritage ¶

Prohibited Works and Works that need a Licence in Advance
1. The following works are prohibited:
a. Remove anything from any immovable Tangible Cultural Heritage, or
destruct it or move it from its place or make any additions thereto such
as constructions, writing or engraving.
b. Sale or purchase of any materials taken from an immovable Tangible
Cultural Heritage.
c. Use of the cultural site or its Surrounding Area in an improper way that
may harm the site and its Cultural Significance.
2. None of the following works may be carried out unless after obtaining a
licence from the Department:
a. Use the ruins of the historic buildings in any works including the
maintenance of the Historic Building itself.
b. Place commercial advertisements, install visible antennas or tubes in the
cultural sites, or install any signs or symbols in the surrounding areas.
c. Conduct any backfilling or levelling works, or construct or demolish a
building in the cultural sites or their Surrounding Areas, even for the
purpose of rebuilding the same building, or perform any infrastructure
works in the Cultural Sites and their Surrounding Areas.
d. Implement, practice or carry out any industrial, commercial, agricultural,
scientific, investment or military activities in the cultural sites or their

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surrounding areas.
e. Conduct any maintenance works, addition, construction or modification
works on the immovable Tangible Cultural Heritage.
f. Transfer the Ownership of the movable Tangible Cultural Heritage that is
registered in the Register.
g. Accede to any cultural site which is closed by a resolution of the
Department for any reason.

Article 14 — Restrictions Related to the Tangible Cultural Heritage ¶

1. The competent entities shall not grant any licence or permit to carry out
any of the works indicated in the previous Article of these Regulations,
unless after coordination with the Department by referring the application
for licence or permit thereto for consultation and taking the adequate
resolution, either by rejecting or accepting the application with or without
conditions, depending on the extent to which such works would affect the
Tangible Cultural Heritage.
2. The Department shall issue a resolution in this regard within thirty days
from the date of referring the application thereto along with all the
required documents, otherwise this shall be considered as rejection of
the application for a licence or permit.
3. No one shall have the right to implement any part of the works indicated in
the previous Article of the present Regulations, unless after submitting to
the Department a scientific study about the impact of such works on the
Cultural Heritage, at his own expense, in accordance with the standards
and procedures indicated by the Department.
4. The Department shall have the power to inspect the cultural sites, expand
said study, and perform the Preliminary Cultural inspection of the cultural
site. In case the Department proves that any of said works negatively
affect the site, then it may take the necessary procedures for protection
of the site as well as its Surrounding Areas and Cultural Significance.

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Article 15 — Procedures of Protection of the Cultural Sites ¶

The Department shall take the necessary procedures to protect the Cultural
Sites and prevent any attack against them from any party whatsoever. For
this purpose, it shall assume the following:
1. Evacuate whomever is illegally occupying the Cultural Site, without
compensation.
2. Evacuate whomever is legally occupying the Cultural Site, in return for a
compensation.
3. Close the sites and prevent anyone from entering thereto without the
Department’s permission in the cases that require so.
4. Take the necessary procedures to protect the Cultural Sites such as
monitoring and protecting them, and setting indication signs, as well as
fencing them and preventing any person from entering thereto should he
be unauthorised to enter.
5. In case the Department detects, at any time, any attack against or damage
to a cultural site or any of its properties, then it shall immediately stop such
attack according to the procedures and measures it deems appropriate in
coordination with the relevant entities.
6. The possessor of the Historic Building shall carry out the necessary works
to preserve the building and prevent its collapse or the change of its
features, as indicated by the Department. In case the possessor fails to
implement such works within the period determined by the Department,
without any reasonable excuse, then, the latter may take the necessary
procedures deemed appropriate to preserve and protect the building,
including its maintenance and restoration, while keeping it in the hands
of the possessor who shall settle the expenditures and financial costs
involved.
7. In all cases, no maintenance of the Historic Building is allowed unless
after obtaining the prior permission of the Department. The latter may
close one or more registered cultural sites and prohibit anyone from
entering thereto without its permission, if it considers that the site is
at risk or if this measure is necessary for preservation purposes. The
Department may take the necessary measures to eliminate such risk, and

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may determine the instructions, provisions and conditions related to the
closure of a cultural site such as the announcement of the closure as well
as its reasons, period and the works to be carried out during it.

Article 16 — Objectives of Conservation of the Modern Cultural Heritage ¶

The Department shall achieve the objectives of conservation of the Modern
Cultural Heritage as per the following:
1. Add value to the heritage of the State and the Emirate.
2. Provide a sense of continuity between the traditional past and future
aspirations in the Emirate.
3. Develop a social spirit and a feeling of belonging through interaction with
the modern heritage, through the sense of place, memory and social
experience.
4. Reinforce the sense of gratitude and appreciation of the modern heritage
of the Emirate and its unique story, on the local and international levels.

Article 17 — Transfer of Ownership and export of the Tangible Cultural Heritage ¶

1. The ownership of the public and movable Tangible Cultural Heritage may
not be transfered nor exported unless the public interest requires so,
based upon the recommendation of the Chairman of the Department and
the approval of the Executive Council. Such Tangible Cultural Heritage
shall not be lent or temporarily taken outside the Emirate unless for a
justified reason indicated by the Department, and for a period of five
years at most which may be renewed for a similar period, according to
the conditions determined in the present Regulations.
2. The private and movable Tangible Cultural Heritage may not be
permanently exported, unless the owner proves the existence of a
similar one. In this case, a prior permission shall be obtained from
the Department's Chairman following the approval of the Executive
Council. Said heritage may also be temporarily taken outside the State
for a specific purpose after obtaining the prior permission from the
Department's Chairman pursuant to the conditions and guaranties

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indicated by the Department as per the present Regulations.
3. Any entity in the Emirate such as museums, exhibitions and stores
are prohibited from acquiring or displaying a movable tangible cultural
heritage that is illegally brought from another Emirate or State. Such
entity shall verify legality, under legal liability, and shall notify the
Department thereof as appropriate.
4. The public and movable Tangible Cultural Heritage may be temporarily
exported in the context of cultural and scientific exchanges and lending
or for the purpose of participation in the world-wide research. The
Chairman of the Department may issue a resolution approving such
kind of export based on the recommendation of the Undersecretary of
the Department and the proposal of the department concerned with
the Cultural Heritage at the Department.
5. The public and movable Tangible Cultural Heritage may not be exported
without the approval of the Chairman of the Department, based on the
approval of the Executive Council. In case approval is obtained, this shall
be in the form of an export permit containing a detailed description of
the movable Cultural Heritage, subject-matter of the export manifest.
6. The Chairman of the Department may issue a licence for a temporary
export of the public and movable Tangible Cultural Heritage for a period
of six months at most in the form of lending to other states or cultural
institutions or foreign museums in order to be displayed for the public or
for education or scientific research purposes, in case the Department
receives sufficient guaranties confirming its return and its insurance
against any risks of damage and theft. The exporter shall return the
Cultural Heritage to the Emirate in its original condition at the time of
export, or after being subject to maintenance, unless the study has
damaged the Cultural Heritage, subject-matter of the lending. In all
cases, the owner of the Cultural Heritage shall provide the Department
with a copy of the study report.
7. The private and movable Tangible Cultural Heritage may not be
permanently exported unless the owner has proven that a similar one is
available and that it is not a rare object. In such cases, a prior approval
shall be obtained from the Chairman of the Department, following the

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approval of the Executive Council, provided that the concerned object is
written off from the Register according to the provisions of the Law and
the present Regulations.
8. Whomever wishes to export a Tangible Cultural Heritage possessed
thereby, shall submit an application to the Department including the
following data:
• Full name, profession, address and nationality of the applicant.
• Airport, seaport or border post through which the Tangible Cultural
Heritage shall be exported.
• The place to which the Tangible Cultural Heritage shall be exported,
and the name of the addressee.
• How the exporter has obtained the Tangible Cultural Heritage to be
exported.
• Description of the Tangible Cultural Heritage and determination of its
quantity, quality, measurement and estimated value. The applicant
shall show the antiquities to the Department before export thereof.
• Documentation of the photos of the Tangible Cultural Heritage to be
exported, on a CD, as per the technical specifications determined by
the Department.
• The Department may, after studying the application of the Tangible
Cultural Heritage to be exported, may recommend exportation,
rejection, or purchase of any antiquity at the estimated price that
is indicated in the export application, unless there is an obvious
discrepancy between the value indicated in the application and the
value estimated by the Department. In this case the value estimated
by the Department shall be applied, provided that a resolution of
purchase is issued by the Chairman of the Department.
9. The antiquities to be exported shall be subject to the following procedures
and approvals:
• In case the value of the antiquity to be exported does not exceed AED
1 million, then an approval from the Undersecretary of the Department
shall be obtained based on the proposal of the concerned department
at the Department.

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• In case the value of the antiquity to be exported exceeds AED 1
million, then an approval from the Chairman of the Department shall
be obtained, based on the proposal of the Undersecretary of the
Department.
• In case it is approved to export any antiquity, the exporter shall obtain
the approval of the Department and pay an export fee to be determined
as follows:
10% of the value of the antiquity; the value that is initially indicated by
the exporter in his application shall be adopted in the collection of the
fee, unless there is an obvious discrepancy between the indicated value
and the real value of the antiquity. In this case, the fee shall be collected
as per the percentage of the value indicated by the Department.
10. The Department may, after approval of the Executive Council, grant a
licence for the export of the following antiquities without collection of
any fees:
• The antiquities to be shared with museums and scientific entities outside
the State, within the framework of cultural exchange agreements.
• The antiquities which are dedicated to a specific scientific entity or
association as a result of licensed official excavations.
11. The applicant for an export licence shall package the antiquities, which
are licensed to be exported, at his own expense, and the Department
shall affix to them an official statement indicating the number of the
export licence and all data defining the antiquities to be exported.
12. The exporter of the antiquities shall present the export licence to
the employees of Customs, post office, security and other officers,
whenever requested. Such employees shall seize every antiquity whose
owner does not hold an export approval, by virtue of an official record,
and shall deliver the seized antiquities to the Department.

Article 18 — Guarantee for the movable Tangible Cultural Heritage ¶

1. A financial guarantee or an insurance policy against any risks and several
damages, as determined by the Department should be provided for
every object of the Movable Tangible Cultural Heritage that is lent or

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exported according to the procedures and conditions determined by the
Department.
2. An agreement shall be concluded with a company that is specialised in
the transfer of the Tangible Cultural Heritage, according to the procedures
determined by the Department.
3. The borrower shall be responsible for the preservation of the objects
of the movable Tangible Cultural Heritage and shall return them to the
Department according to the Clauses of the Agreement, and any financial
allowances and compensations resulting therefrom.

Article 19 — Seizure of Tangible Cultural Heritage ¶

The following provisions and controls shall be followed for the seizure of a
Tangible Cultural Heritage:
1. The Department shall seize the Tangible Cultural Heritage that is illegally
possessed by a person or an entity, and shall take all legal procedures
against them.
2. In case any entity other than the Department has seized a Tangible
Cultural Heritage that is stolen, smuggled, imitated or illicitly possessed
by a person, it shall seize it and deliver it to the Department.
3. In case the Tangible Cultural Heritage indicated in both previous Clauses
is private ownership and lost, the Department shall return to the right-
holder according to the legislations in force.
4. The provisions of this Article shall be applicable to the foreign and movable
Tangible Cultural Heritage.

Article 20 — Return of the Cultural Heritage to the Emirate ¶

The Department shall determine and follow up the elements of the Cultural
Heritage outside the Emirate, in coordination with the competent Federal and
local authorities, and may take all the necessary legal procedures to return
back any public and movable Tangible Cultural Heritage existing outside the
State. Should it be private, it shall provide any possible assistance to the
original holder of the right to possess the Tangible Cultural Heritage.

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Article 21 — Report on Loss or Theft ¶

In case of the loss or theft of the movable Tangible Cultural Heritage, the
possessor shall immediately inform the Department or any security agency,
and in case it was damaged, the possessor shall report such matter
within three days at most from the date of his knowledge, according to the
conditions and procedures determined by the Department as follows:
1. The possessor of the movable Tangible Cultural Heritage shall refer to the
competent security agency within whose jurisdiction the theft occurred to
report such theft or loss as per the procedures that should be immediately
followed.
2. The possessor of the Tangible Cultural Heritage shall provide the
Department with a copy of the reporting procedures that occurred with
the competent security agency in the cases of theft and loss.
3. In case of damage or harm to the movable Tangible Cultural Heritage,
the possessor shall notify the Department and provide it with descriptive
pictures.
4. The Department shall assign specialists to inspect the Cultural Heritage
in case of damage, and shall prepare a technical report containing the
description of its situation as per the reality, as well as the recommendations
proposed in this regard.

Article 22 — Organisation of Events Related to the Intangible Cultural Heritage ¶

Conservation of the Intangible Cultural Heritage
1. Licensing and Protection for the Intangible Cultural Heritage:
a. The Department shall raise the necessary awareness on the national,
local and international levels regarding the importance of the Intangible
Cultural Heritage of the Emirate, in such manner as to ensure the
protection and respect of such Heritage.
b. In the context of its activities which aim at protecting the Intangible
Cultural Heritage, the Department shall seek to ensure the broadest
participation of the community of the Emirate in preserving the Heritage
and transferring it to the next generations.

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c. The Department shall take the necessary measures to preserve and
protect the Intangible Cultural Heritage in the Emirate according to the
conditions and controls determined thereby.
d. The Department shall develop the necessary plans to manage the
protection of the Intangible Cultural Heritage, and it shall determine the
objectives and pillars of such plans.
2. Conditions for Licencing Conferences, Festivals and Events of Intangible
Cultural Heritage:
a. Subject to the provisions applicable with respect to the aforementioned