Law No. (14) of 2020 Concerning the Establishment of the Advanced Technology Research Council

Article 1 — The following definition shall be added to Article (1) of the aforesaid Law No. ¶

(4) of 2013:
State : The United Arab Emirates.
Emirate : The Emirate of Abu Dhabi.
Government : The Government of Abu Dhabi.
Executive Council : The Executive Council of the Emirate.
Council : The Advanced Technology Research Council.

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Board of Directors : The Board of Directors of the Council.
Secretary-General : The Secretary-General of the Council.
Research and
Development in the
Field of Advanced
Technology
: Research and development work and activities in all
fields and specialties, including engineering industries
and specialities, communications, artificial intelligence,
robotics, aerospace, food, pharmaceutical and
construction industries and specialties, alternative
and renewable energy, environmental, chemical and
petrochemical industries, among many other industries
and specialties that seek to solve practical problems
and aim to achieve commercial purposes and result in
inventions, products or services or technologies, and
this includes academic research and development that
is not intended to achieve any commercial purposes

Article 2 — • A Council shall be established pursuant to the provisions of this Law under ¶

the name of “The Advanced Technology Research Council”. It shall have
an independent corporate personality and enjoy the full legal capacity to
act. The Council shall be affiliated to the Executive Council.
• The Executive Council may change the affiliation of the Council to any
entity determined thereby.

Article 3 — The main office of the Council shall be located in Abu Dhabi City. Branches ¶

and offices thereof may be opened by a resolution of the Board of Directors
inside or outside the Emirate, following the approval of the Executive Council.

Article 4 — The Council shall assume the following competencies: ¶

1. Propose the general policy and strategic plans and initiatives related
to the field of Research and Development in the Field of Advanced
Technology and submit it to the Executive Council for approval.

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2. Determine the priorities of the sector of Research and Development in
the Field of Advanced Technology in the Emirate in line with the overall
trends and aspirations of the Government.
3. Lay down the controls and standards based on which contracts of
Research and Development in the Field of Advanced Technology are
approved, supported, financed and concluded, and submit them to the
Executive Council for approval.
4. Lay down the plans and programs, including financing programs, that
aim to expand the capabilities of Research and Development in the Field
of Advanced Technology, in accordance with the approved controls.
5. Manage and implement programs of Research and Development in the
Field of Advanced Technology.
6. Launch, approve and supervise the initiatives of Research and
Development in the Field of Advanced Technology, which are financed
by the government.
7. Study applications for financial grants to academic institutions and
individuals for the purposes of Research and Development in the Field
of Advanced Technology and approve the disbursement thereof in
accordance with the approved standards and controls.
8. Establish or contribute to companies, including the establishment of
laboratories and incubators, and attract and accept investments for
the purposes of Research, Development and investment in the Field of
Advanced Technology.
9. Build and develop scientific and research partnerships with local and
international financing institutions and exchange experiences in order
to ensure funding and development of Research and Development in
the field of Advanced Technology.
10. Conclude agreements and memoranda of understanding with scientific
and research institutions inside and outside the country for the purpose
of cooperation in the fields of Research and Development in the Field of
Advanced Technology.
11. Implement strategies related to investment and commercial activities

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and the intellectual property arising from research carried out by the
Council or in which the latter participates.
• The Executive Council may amend the functions of the Council
contained in this Law or any other legislation by deletion, addition or
transfer.
• The Council may delegate some of its powers to any other government
entity or outsource some of it to the private sector following the
approval of the Executive Council

Article 5 — • The Council shall be managed by a Board of Directors consisting of at ¶

least five members, including the Chairman of the Board of Directors and
the Secretary- General. A decision to appoint them shall be issued by the
Chairman of the Executive Council.
• The term of membership of the Board of Directors shall be three years,
renewable for similar periods.
• The Chairman of the Board of Directors may invite whomever he deems
necessary to attend its meetings without having the right to vote.
• The internal regulations shall define the procedures for convening the
Board of Directors and how to vote on its decisions.

Article 6 — • The Board of Directors shall be the authority competent to manage the ¶

affairs of the Council and run its affairs, and it shall in particular assume
the following:
1. Approve the strategic and executive plans of the Council and submit
them to the Executive Council for approval in accordance with the
legislations in force.
2. Approve the legislations related to the Council’s function and submit
them to the Executive Council in accordance with the legislations in
force.
3. Approve the annual draft budget of the Council and submit it to the
Executive Council for approval.

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4. Approve the organisational structure of the Council and submit it to
the Executive Council for approval in accordance with the regulations
in force.
5. Approve the proposed fees, tariffs and prices related to the Council’s
competencies and submit them for approval in accordance with the
legislations in force.
6. Form permanent and temporary committees from among its members
or others to carry out the tasks assigned to them.
7. Any other competencies or tasks assigned to it by the Executive
Council.
• The Board of Directors may delegate some of its powers to the Secretary-
General as much as the need and interest of the work require so.

Article 7 — • The Council shall have a Secretary-General appointed by a Chairman of ¶

the Executive Council Resolution, who shall conduct the daily work of the
Council, and shall in particular assume the following:
1. Propose strategic and executive plans of the Council and submit
them to the Board of Directors.
2. Follow up on the implementation of the Council’s strategic and
executive plans, as well as the programs and projects it manages or
implements.
3. Manage, develop and implement all strategic and executive tasks
entrusted to the Council, either directly or through work teams
that he designates or entrusts with tasks in a manner that does not
conflict with the legislations in force.
4. Propose initiatives, programs, projects, studies and recommendations
related to the functions and activities of the Council and submit them
to the Board of Directors.
5. Propose the organisational structure of the Council and submit it to
the Board of Directors.
6. Propose the annual draft budget for the Council and submit it to the
Board of Directors.

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7. Propose legislations, regulatory and executive regulations, systems,
policies, decisions and circulars related to the Council’s competencies
and submit them to the Board of Directors.
8. Propose fees, tariffs and prices related to the Council’s competencies
and submit them to the Board of Directors.
9. Open bank accounts in the name of the Council in accordance with
the legislations in force.
10. Appoint experts, consultants and technicians, temporarily or
permanently, and determine their remuneration. He may seek the
assistance of experts, institutions and consulting offices he deems
appropriate.
11. Represent the council before Courts and third parties.
12. Any other competencies or tasks assigned to him by the Board of
Directors.
• The Secretary-General may delegate some of his powers to any of the
Council’s senior employees, provided that the delegation is made in
writing.

Article 8 — Every three months, or whenever requested to do so, the Council shall ¶

submit to the Executive Council or whomever it delegates, a report on its
functions, achievements, budget, administrative and financial affairs, and
stages of progress achieved thereby while assuming the competencies and
tasks entrusted to it.

Article 9 — The academic entities, institutions and individuals may submit to the ¶

Council applications for financial grants for the purposes of Research and
Development in the Field of Advanced Technology, in accordance with the
conditions, forms and procedures specified by the Council.

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Article 10 — The financial resources of the Council shall consist of the following: ¶

1. The annual appropriations allocated thereto by the Government.
2. Returns on the investments of the Council.
3. The grants and donations granted thereto following the approval of the
Executive Council.
4. The financial support provided to it by the public and private sectors,
individuals and various scientific research funding institutions, which
shall be allocated to finance specific research and activities and shall be
disbursed in accordance with the determined expenditures and outside
the approved budget of the Council.
5. Any other revenues approved by the Executive Council.

Article 11 — The fiscal year of the Council shall start on the first of January and end on ¶

the last day of December of each year, except for the first fiscal year which
shall start from the date of entry into force of the provisions of the this Law
and end on the last day of December of the following year.

Article 12 — The Council shall have one or more external certified auditors to verify its ¶

financial accounts and statements. Their appointment and remuneration
shall be determined by a resolution of the Board of Directors in accordance
with the applicable legislations.

Article 13 — • The financial laws and regulations applicable in the Emirate shall apply to ¶

the Council.
• The human resources laws and regulations applicable in the Emirate shall
apply to the employees of the Council.
• The Nationals among them shall be subject to the Civil Retirement
Pensions and Benefits law applicable in the Emirate.

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Article 14 — • The aforesaid Law No. (29) of 2019 shall be repealed. ¶

• Any provision contrary to the provisions of this Law shall be repealed.

Article 15 — This Law shall be effective from the date of its issuance and published in the ¶

Official Gazette.
Issued by us in Abu Dhabi
On: 20 May 2020
Corresponding to: 27 Ramadan 1441 Hijri
Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan
Ruler of Abu Dhabi

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