Law No. (8) of 2018 Concerning the Establishment of the Department of Culture and Tourism

Article 1 — In the implementation of the provisions of this Law, the following words and ¶

phrases shall have the meanings corresponding thereto unless the 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.
Affiliates : The entities operating in the cultural and tourism
sector affiliated to the Department, under its control
and supervision, and which are specified by a
resolution of the Executive Council.
Cultural
Sector
: All that is related to tangible and intangible cultural
heritage, human intellect, and the encouragement of
talents and creativity in the fields of literature, plastic
arts, performing arts, knowledge and music, and the
development of intellectual abilities and know-how,
including public libraries, book fairs, reading activities,
and all relevant cultural activities related to art, heritage
and literature, in addition to public and private museums,
cultural centres, as well as art and heritage exhibitions,
and the encouragement of any translation, printing,
publishing, or any work, service or other activity related
to culture inside or outside the Emirate in line with the
objectives and competencies assigned to the Department
by the present Law and the relevant legislations, in
addition to any other activity the Executive Council
decides to be considered within the Culture Sector.

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Cultural
heritage
: All that holds cultural significance by its nature,
whether tangible or intangible heritage, attributed to
the Emirate in accordance with the provisions of this
law and aforesaid Law No. (4) of 2016.
Tourism
Sector
: Any work or activity related to the provision of
tourism, recreational or entertainment services
to the public, such as hotels, resorts, restaurants,
cinemas, theatres, museums, tour operators, tourist
transport companies and institutions, tourism offices,
entertainment and recreation facilities and any other
work or activity the Executive Council decides to
consider as tourism activity.
Civil Society
Organisations
: Non-profit and public benefit organisations operating
in the fields of public service and community
development.
Section (2)
Establishment, Objectives and Competencies of the Department

Article 2 — • Pursuant to the provisions of this law, a department called "Department ¶

of Culture and Tourism" shall be established and shall replace Abu Dhabi
Tourism and Culture Authority.
• The employees and staff of Abu Dhabi Tourism and Culture Authority,
along with all of the Authority’s assets, properties, rights and obligations,
shall be transferred to the Department. The Department shall be the legal
successor to Abu Dhabi Tourism and Culture Authority.

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Article 3 — The Department aims at preserving, protecting and managing the Emirate's ¶

cultural heritage, as well as at promoting the Emirates heritage along with its
diverse touristic and natural attractions, and achieving tourism development
in the Emirate.

Article 4 — • In order to achieve its objectives, the Department shall assume the ¶

following competencies:
1. Propose the strategic and implementing plans for the culture and
tourism sector in the Emirate, have them approved by the Executive
Council and supervise their implementation.
2. Follow-up the Affiliates’ undertaking to implement the strategic and
implementing plans for the culture and tourism sector.
3. Monitor and supervise all the Affiliates such as their disbursements
from their budgets and revenues earned, as well as their commitment
to their duties and competencies, and approve their strategic and
implementing plans.
4. Regulate the culture and tourism sector in all aspects through the
development of policies, standards, regulations, resolutions and
implementing and operational circulars for these sectors.
5. Monitor and supervise the culture and tourism sector in accordance
with the relevant legislations, conventions and treaties in force for
these sectors on the local and international levels, and in coordination
with the relevant entities in the State and abroad.
6. License all entities, companies, persons and civil society organisations
operating in the culture and tourism sector and monitor their
commitment to providing the optimum level of quality of services in

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accordance with the legislations in force, and in coordination with
the relevant entities.
7. Propose the fees, tariffs and prices related to its competencies and
submit them to the Executive Council for approval, in accordance
with the applicable regulations.
8. Submit periodic reports and analytical studies to Abu Dhabi Executive
Office in relation to the Department's competencies.
9. Encourage investments and partnerships with the private sector
for projects related to the competencies of the Department in
coordination with the relevant entities.
10. Any other competencies or duties assigned thereto by the Executive
Council.
• The Department may delegate some of its competencies to any other
governmental entity or outsource some to the private sector upon the
approval of the Executive Council.

Article 5 — • The Chairman of the Executive Council shall issue a resolution to specify ¶

any additional competencies of the Department.
• The Executive Council may amend the Department’s competencies
mentioned in this Law or in any other legislation by deletion, addition or
transfer.

Article 6 — All persons, entities and public and private companies shall provide the ¶

Department with the documents and information it requires to carry out or
execute its competencies.

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Article 7 — The Executive Council shall issue a resolution to specify the Affiliates that ¶

shall be under the monitoring and supervision of the Department.
Section (3)
General Provisions

Article 8 — In agreement with the Chairman of the Department, the Chairman of ¶

Abu Dhabi Judicial Department shall issue a resolution specifying the
Department’s officers who have been granted the law enforcement authority
for offences within their jurisdiction. They shall have the right to inspect and
monitor the culture and tourism sector, in order to verify the implementation
of the provisions of this Law and its implementing regulations, decisions and
circulars.

Article 9 — Any establishment or individual shall be prohibited from exercising any ¶

activity related to the culture and tourism sector in the Emirate without
obtaining the required license from the Department, in accordance with the
applicable regulations.

Article 10 — • Without prejudice to any more severe penalty provided for by any other ¶

law, an administrative fine of no more than AED (10,000,000) ten million
shall be imposed on whoever violates the provisions of this Law and its
regulatory and implementing rules as well as its implementing regulations,
policies, resolutions and circulars.
• The Department shall take charge of collecting the administrative

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fines. Upon the approval of the Executive Council, the Chairman of
the Department shall issue a schedule specifying the offences and the
administrative fines prescribed for each of them, without exceeding the
fine provided for in this Article.
• The Chairman of the Department or whom he authorises, may propose
reconciliation to the offender, provided that it is established in the record
of proceedings. The offender who accepts reconciliation shall pay a
fine equivalent to 75% of the total administrative fine determined for
the offence within a period not exceeding sixty days from the date of
proposing the reconciliation.
• In all cases, if the offender fails to remove the effects of the offence on
the date scheduled, the Department shall remove such effects at the
expense of the offender.
• The regulatory and implementing rules of this Law shall specify the
procedures of the above-mentioned reconciliation, including its
timeframes.

Article 11 — • The Department may impose any of the following administrative penalties: ¶

1. Notice.
2. Warning.
3. Placing the establishment under financial, administrative and technical
supervision.
4. Temporary suspension of activity.
5. Cancellation or suspension of the licence.
6. Closing of the establishment temporarily or permanently.
• Grievances may be filed against the administrative penalties before the
Department within sixty days from the date of notification of the grievant.

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Failure to decide upon the grievance within 90 days from the date of its
submission shall be regarded as acceptance of the grievance.
• The regulatory and implementing rules of this Law shall determine the
procedures and controls required for the application of the aforesaid
administrative penalties.

Article 12 — The Department shall propose its organisational structure and submit it ¶

to the Executive Council for approval, in accordance with the applicable
regulations.

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

Department.
• The human resources laws and regulations in force in the Emirate shall
apply to the employees of the Department.
• The Civil Retirement Pensions and Benefits in force in the Emirate shall
apply to the nationals.

Article 14 — • Upon the approval of the Executive Council, the Chairman of the ¶

Department shall issue the regulatory and implementing rules of this Law.
• The policies, regulations, rules, decisions and circulars in force shall
remain applicable in a manner consistent with the provisions of this
Law until the issuance of its implementing policies, regulations, rules,
resolutions and circulars.
• The Chairman of the Department shall issue the necessary implementing
and operational policies of this Law.

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Article 15 — • The aforesaid Law No. (2) of 2011 shall be repealed. ¶

• Any text or provision, prescribed in the legislations establishing Affiliates,
which is contrary to the provisions of this Law, shall be repealed.
• Any text or provision contrary to the provisions of this Law shall be
repealed.

Article 16 — This Law shall be effective from the date of its issuance and shall be published ¶

in the Official Gazette.
Issued by us in Abu Dhabi
On: 20 February 2018
Corresponding to: 4 Jumada Al Akher 1439 H
Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan
Ruler of Abu Dhabi

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