International Relations

International Relations

  • International Organizations
  • Cooperation with other Authorities
  • Internal Cooperation

International Organizations

International Organization of Securities Commissions (IOSCO)

The SCA joined the International Organization for Securities Commissions (IOSCO) in 2003 as an ordinary member. The IOSCO is recognized as the global standard setter for the securities sector.

The SCA’s membership of IOSCO helps the former to capitalize on the international experience in financial market development and on the international standards set by the IOSCO.

The SCA also plays an active role in interacting with the IOSCO by participating in the latter’s meetings and responding to its requests, including surveys and sharing of viewpoints on issues raised by the IOSCO, seeking the views of its members. It’s worth noting here that the SCA is a member of IOSCO's Presidential Committee, Growth and Emerging Markets Committee and Africa and Middle East Committee.

The International Organization of Securities Commissions (IOSCO), established in 1983, is the acknowledged international body that brings together the world's securities regulators and is recognized as the global standard setter for the securities sector. IOSCO develops, implements, and promotes adherence to internationally recognized standards for securities regulation, and is working intensively with the G20 and the Financial Stability Board (FSB) on the global regulatory reform agenda.

IOSCO's membership regulates more than 95% of the world's securities markets. Its members include 129 securities regulators and 80 other securities markets participants (i.e. stock exchanges, financial regional and international organizations, etc.). IOSCO is the only international financial regulatory organization which includes all the major emerging markets jurisdictions within its membership.

The member agencies currently assembled together in the International Organization of Securities Commissions have resolved, through its permanent structures:

  1. To cooperate in developing, implementing and promoting adherence to internationally recognized and consistent standards of regulation, oversight and enforcement in order to protect investors, maintain fair, efficient and transparent markets, and seek to address systemic risks;
  2. To enhance investor protection and promote investor confidence in the integrity of securities markets, through strengthened information exchange and cooperation in enforcement against misconduct and in supervision of markets and market intermediaries;
  3. To exchange information at both global and regional levels on their respective experiences in order to assist the development of markets, strengthen market infrastructure and implement appropriate legislations.

In October 2012, the SCA received an invitation to sign IOSCO’s multi-lateral memorandum of understanding (MMoU), having met all the necessary requirements of the MMoU. Signing the MMoU is now one of the major criteria being used by international financial and investment institutions in classifying financial markets of the world. It is also a significant international recognition which reflects the strength of the legislative and regulatory frameworks of the UAE's financial markets. This reflects positively on the level of local and foreign investor confidence and enhances the attraction of UAE's markets to foreign investment.

The MMoU represents a common understanding amongst its signatories of how they will consult, cooperate, and exchange information for securities regulatory enforcement purposes. The MMoU itself sets out the specific requirements for what information can be exchanged and how it is to be exchanged; legal ability to compel information; types of information that can be compelled; legal ability to share information; and permissible uses of information. It also sets out specific requirements regarding the confidentiality of the information exchanged.

Further information about IOSCO can be accessed from the latter’s website: www.iosco.org

Union of Arab Securities Authorities (UASA)

Agreement was reached to establish a union that would bring together all Arab market regulators to help boost Arab economic development and integration through achieving harmony and conformity of their market regulations and laws, and improving their market legislation and regulation standards to ensure equity, efficiency and transparency.

The UASA facilitates cooperation in regulating public securities issuances and promotes the setting up and development of specialized financial services companies, including marketing agents of new issuances. It also promotes joint trading and listing in Arab markets, boosts intra-Arab investments and spreads investment awareness among all investors in all its member states.

UASA seeks to:
  1. Achieve the highest levels of coordination in order to protect market efficiency and safe transactions in Arab securities markets; share information, technical assistance and special expertise in order to support Arab markets development; and put in place effective regulatory rules for those markets.
  2. Unify efforts to achieve highly efficient market supervision in member states and promote cooperation and collaboration among members concerning relevant market regulations and laws to achieve maximum harmony among them.
  3. Surmount Arab investment obstacles, expand Arab investment base and diversify its tools, in addition to improving the performance level of Arab securities sector and encouraging joint listing and trading in Arab markets
Founding meeting:

On 30 January 2007, UASA's founding meeting was held in Abu Dhabi in which heads and officials of market regulators of Jordan, UAE, Algeria, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Iraq, Oman, Palestine, Qatar, Kuwait and Egypt took part.

The UAE initiated the call to have such an organization in order to have a professional umbrella and mechanism that will help boost Arab economic development and integration through achieving harmony and conformity of Arab financial markets rules and regulations; improve the legislative and organizational standards of those markets in a way that would ensure equity, efficiency and transparency; and promote the sharing of information and expertise among member states.

It is also to help develop capital market regulatory criteria to ensure safe and efficient market transactions, facilitate the means of cooperation in organizing public issuance of securities, promote joint listing and trading on Arab markets to boost intra-Arab investments and spread investment awareness in all member states and participate as a bloc in related regional and international conferences and fora.

The SCA participates in all UASA events and provides the organization with continuous support, including hosting the UASA's secretariat at its Dubai office building.

All UASA-related information can be accessed through its website: www.uasa.ae

Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC)

Article (5) of the economic agreement concerning the boosting of investment environment among GCC countries states the following:

With the aim of developing local, foreign and intra-GCC investments , and in order to create a transparent and stable investment environment, member states have agreed to take the following measures:

  1. Unify their investment-related regulations and laws.
  2. Give equal national treatment to investment owned by natural persons and corporate entities of GCC nationality.
  3. Integrate GCC financial markets and unify their policies and regulations.
  4. Adopt unified standards and criteria in accordance with the charter of the GCC Standardization Organization.

Whereas the GCC agreement on procedures for achieving the “Integration of GCC financial markets and the unification of their policies and regulations” requires the setting up of a ministerial committee consisting of board chairpersons of market regulators of GCC member states, which shall make and refer recommendations directly to the GCC Supreme Council through the ministerial council, the latter has issued during its 115th session held on May 2010 in Saudi Arabia, a resolution to set up a permanent ministerial committee made up of board chairpersons of market regulators of GCC member states.

The committee, which will make recommendations to the ministerial council, shall have the following mandate:

  • Unifying market-related policies and regulations for achieving integration, in implementation of clause (3) of Article (5) of the GCC economic agreement and all resolutions issued by the GCC Supreme Council and those to be issued later in this regard.
  • Achieving the requirements of GCC Common Market and the content of Article (3) which states that: “Citizens of GCC member states – natural persons and corporate entities – shall enjoy same treatment in their host country as the citizens of that state, without discrimination in all economic aspects, including trading in stocks and bonds.

Meanwhile, the committee of board chairpersons of GCC market regulators has held its first meeting on 31st March 2010 in Riyadh and made the following recommendations:


  1. The need to set up a permanent ministerial committee consisting of board chairpersons of market regulators of GCC member states. The committee, which shall make recommendations to the ministerial council, shall have the authority mentioned above. The need to set up a high-level committee consisting of chief executive officers of GCC market regulators (or their equivalents) to recommend the necessary mechanisms for implementing the ministerial committee’s tasks and plan of action within a timeframe that will lead to achieving the integration of GCC markets.
  2. during which the committee discussed among other things an Emirates Securities and Commodities Authority's (SCA) proposal concerning GCC markets integration and unification of the policies and regulations of those markets. In response to this proposal, a number of working teams were set up to discuss all aspects of integration of the financial markets and to lay down the rules for governing them.

The SCA, which is a member in all the working teams, has presented many initiatives during the meetings of the teams. Following are some of the SCA initiatives.

  • Proposal for GCC markets integration and unification of policies and regulations.
  • Proposal for the restructuring of financial regulatory systems.
  • Unified rules for listing of stocks on GCC securities markets.
  • Unified rules for listing of bonds and Sukuk on GCC securities markets.
  • Unified rules for listing of mutual fund units on GCC securities markets.
  • Unified rules for issuance and offering of shares on GCC securities markets.
  • Unified rules for offering of bonds and Sukuk on GCC securities markets.
  • A working paper on structuring financial regulatory system.
  • A working paper on Training and Research at the Financial Markets.
  • Organized an annual conference to discuss an issue of great interest to the legislative and regulatory bodies of GCC financial markets. This was in response to a decision by the committee of chief executive officers of GCC market regulators.
  • Proposing a sample report concerning the updates and developments in GCC financial markets.
  • Proposing a sample periodic report about the level of progress in the implementation of unified rules for listing of securities and a proposal on how to improve and develop the format
  • A working paper on Relationship and Coordination between the Regulators and Financial Markets
  • Organized a workshop for representatives of market regulators from GCC member states to showcase its XBRL experience. The theme of the workshop was “Financial Statement Transparency Using the XBRL”
The Islamic Financial Services Board (IFSB)

The SCA is an observer member of the Islamic Financial Services Board (IFSB), which was set up in 2002, but became actively operational as of 10th March 2003.

It serves as an international standard-setting body of regulatory and supervisory agencies that have vested interest in ensuring the soundness and stability of the Islamic financial services industry, which is defined broadly to include banking, capital market and insurance. In advancing this mission, the IFSB promotes the development of a prudent and transparent Islamic financial services industry through introducing new, or adapting existing international standards consistent with Shariah principles, and recommend them for adoption.

To this end, the work of the IFSB complements that of the Basel Committee on Banking Supervision, International Organization of Securities Commissions and the International Association of Insurance Supervisors.

As of December 2013, the 185 members of the IFSB comprise 56 regulatory and supervisory authorities, eight international inter-governmental organizations and 122 market players, professional firms and industry associations operating in 45 jurisdictions. More information about IFSB can be accessed online through: www.ifsb.org

The Association of National Numbering Agencies (ANNA)

The SCA is a full member of the Association of National Numbering Agencies (ANNA) since 2009. ANNA, which was set up under Belgian Law in 1991, has members comprising of national numbering agencies accredited by local regulatory bodies.

Only one agency is allowed ANNA membership from a jurisdiction. ANNA is committed to activating its ISO 6166 quality standardization and other criteria as may be amended from time to time. It also provides international securities identification number (ISIN) to its members, in particular and to all those with interest in the securities industry, in general, for use in trading of securities and other transactions in the securities industry.

More information about ANNA can be accessed online through: www.anna-web.com

Cooperation with other Authorities

Since its establishment, the Securities and Commodities Authority (SCA) has been working to boost mutual cooperation with its counterparties. The SCA has entered into several bilateral Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) with regulatory authorities in different parts of the world with the aim of boosting cooperation and exchange of information. These MoUs facilitate exchange of training and technical assistance and hence developing the financial markets under the jurisdiction of these authorities.

Following is the list of these MoUs:

Name Date

Agency of Securities and Special Registration of the Ministry of finance _ Tajikistan

27-June-2024

The Astana Financial Services Authority - Astana International financial Centre_ Kazakhstan

01-June-2023

Bangladesh Securities and Exchange Commission _Bangladesh

27-Oct-2022

Memorandum of Understanding Related to ESMA’s Monitoring of the Ongoing Compliance with Recognition Conditions by CCPsestablished in the United Arab Emirates and supervised by the Securities and Commodities Authority _ESMA

18-Mar-2022

MoU REGARDING COOPERATION AND THE EXCHANGE OF INFORMATION RELATED TO THE SUPERVISION OF CROSS-BORDER CLEARING ORGANISATIONS _Singapore

31-May-2021

MoU concerning consultation, cooperation and the exchange of information related to the supervision of covered entities in the alternative investment fund industry _UK

05-Nov-2019

Commission d’Organisation et de Surveillance des opérations de Bourse/ Algeira

27-Mar-2019

Guerensey Financial Services Commission (GFSC) _Guerensey

07-Jun-2017

Memorandum of Understanding Related to ESMA’s Monitoring of the Ongoing Compliance with Recognition Conditions by CCPsestablished in the United Arab Emirates and supervised by the Securities and Commodities Authority _ESMA

28-Feb-2017

Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) among regulators of financial markets of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries.

15-Sep-2015

State Committee for Securities - Republic of Azerbaijan

02-Apr-2015

National Securities and Stock Market Commission - Ukraine

13-Jan-2015

Capital Markets Authority - Kuwait

15-Dec-2014

Financial Supervision Authority - Romania

04-Jun-2014

Jersey Financial Services Commission

05-May-2014

Securities And Exchange Commission of Pakistan

07-Nov-2013

Labuan Financial Services Authority / Malaysia

16-Sep-2013

Securities And Exchange Commission of Brazil

16-Sep-2013

MoU concerning consultation, cooperation and the exchange of information related to the supervision of the Alternative Investment Fund Managers Directive (AIFMD) entities with EU Authorities

22-Jul-2013

Polish Financial Supervision Authority

07-Feb-2013

MMoU of the International Organization of Securities Commissions

11-Oct-2012

Commission De Surveillance Du Secteur Financier - Luxembourg

18-Jan-2012

Financial Services And Markets Authority - The Kingdom Of Belgium

16-Jan-2012

Hellenic Capital Market Commission - Greece

11-Jan-2012

Capital Markets Board of Turkey

13-Oct-2010

Autorité Des Marchés Financiers - Québec, Canada

08-Jun-2010

The Irish Financial Services Regulatory Authority

07-Jun-2010

Comisión Nacional Del Mercado De Valores - Spain

13-Apr-2010

Palestine Capital Market Authority

21-Dec-2009

Central Bank of Lebanon (Banking Control Commission of Lebanon)

18-Nov-2009

Authority of French Markets

07-Apr-2009

Federal Financial Markets in Russia

31-Mar-2009

Financial Services Authority in United Kingdom

03-Mar-2009

Centre for Coordination and Control Over Functioning of Securities Market under the State Property Committee of the Republice of Uzbekistan (CSM)

17-Mar-2008

Federal Financial Supervisory (BAFIN) - Germany

10-Feb-2008

New Zealand Securities Commission

09-Dec-2007

ISLE of Man Financial Supervision Commission

28-Nov-2007

Financial Services Board, South Africa‎

11-Apr-2007

State Securities Commission, Vietnam

04-Sep-2007

Securities and Ecxchange Commission, Thailand

16-Jul-2007

Korea Financial Supervisory Commission‎

22-May-2007

Securities and Exchange Board of India, India

26-Mar-2007

Capital Market Authority, \sultant of Oman

29-Jan-2007

Syrian Commission on Financial Markets and Securities

19-Dec-2006

China Securities Regulatory Commission

06-Dec-2006

Securities Comission of Tunis / Conseil Du Marche' Financier

05-Jun-2006

le Conseil Déontologique des Valeurs Mobilières (CDVM)/ Morroco

05-Jun-2006

Commission d’Organisation et de Surveillance des opérations de Bourse/ Algeira

01-May-2006

Jordan Securities Commision

04-Apr-2006

Capital Market Authority, Egypt

20-Mar-2006

Dubai Financial Services Authority

27-Sep-2005

Monetary Authority of Singapore

14-Aug-2005

Australian Securities & Investments Commission

14-Mar-2005

Securities Commission of Malaysia

01-Mar-2005

The SCA also signed MoUs with a number of specialized international institutions and bodies to benefit from their services, including professional training, research and accredited programs to help develop the UAE financial markets and financial industry, in general, and to uplift the professional standards of personnel of the securities industry, in particular.

Following is the list of these MoUs:

Name Date

The Accounting and Auditing Organization for Islamic Financial Institutions(AAOIFI)

24-May-2016

The Chartered Alternative Investment Analyst Association, Inc. (CAIAA)

03-Nov-2015

The Korea Financial Investment Association (KOFIA)

15-Jun-2015

PEPOLECERT International Limited (PCI)

28-May-2015

General Council for Islamic Banks and Financial Institutions (CIBAFI)

18-Nov-2014

The Securities Industry Development Corporation (SIDC)

28-Oct-2014

American Academy of Financial Management

24-Jul-2013

The Arab Academy for Banking and Financial Sciences

28-Feb-2013

International Capital Market Association

06-Nov-2012

The International Federation of Technical Analysts

09-May-2011

International Compliance Association

16-Feb-2011

The International Centre For Financial Regulation (ICFR)

14-Jun-2010

CFA Institute

09-Jun-2009

Certified Institute for Securities and Investment

16-Jan-2009

Cass Business School, U.K

29-Oct-2007

Internal Cooperation

Since its establishment, the SCA continues to build and enhance relations and cooperation with federal and local bodies, educational and professional institutions in order to achieve its strategic objectives and to provide the best services to the local community. As part of these efforts, the SCA signed many memorandum of understanding (MoU) with federal and local bodies, universities and professional institutions as listed below:

Federal bodies
Federal bodies Date

MoU with the Ministry of Economy and the Economic Security Center of Dubai

16-Oct-2023

Agreement with National CSR Fund (MAJRA)_ To enhance the country’s leadership in the field of social responsibility for joint-stock companies

30-Aug-2023

Federal Authority For Government Human Resources

05-June-2023

Ministry of Interior

17-June-2023

Federal Competitiveness and Statistics Centre

06-Sep-2021

MoI

18-Dec-2019

UAE International Investors Council

23-Apr-2018

Ministry of Economy

17-Apr-2018

Insurance Authority

15-Apr-2018

Federal Competitiveness and Statistics Authority

26-Feb-2018

Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation

23-Jan-2018

Ministry of Finance_ MoU For Automatic Exchange of Information for tax purposes under International Tax Agreements

01-May-2016

Ministry Of Interior

20-Apr-2014

Emirates Identity Authority

16-Oct-2012

The National Human Resource Development and Employment Authority

11-Oct-2012

The National Media Council

14-Jun-2012

Ministry of Finance

27-Dec-2011

National Bureau of Statistics

27-Jun-2010

Central Bank of the UAE

24-Feb-2009

Ministry of Public Sector Development

25-Sep-2007
Local Bodies
Local bodies Date

MoU with Dubai Police regarding the exchange of information about financial crimes

06-Mar-2024

MoU with RAK Digital Assets Oasis in relation to Transactions and activities related to virtual assets

19-Oct-2023

Agreement with Dubai International Financial Center (DIFC)_ Concerning Regulatory and Supervision Cooperation Concerning the Offering and Listing of Shares of Dubai International Financial Centre Companies in the State

23-Aug-2023

Federal Bodies

17-Jan-2023

MoU with Economic Security Center of Dubai

05-Jul-2022

Agreement with Dubai Airport Free Zone Authority (DAFZA)

03-Nov-2021

Agreement with Dubai World Trade Centre

30-Aug-2021

Agreement with Sharjah Research Technology and Innovation Park

15-Aug-2021

Dubai Airport Free zone Authority

19-May-2021

Agreement with Sharjah Research Technology and Innovation Park

19-May-2021

Sharjah Media City

25-Feb-2021

Dubai Smart Government

18-Feb-2021

RAK Chamber of Commerce & Industry

26-May-2016

Department of Economic Development - Abu Dhabi

13 Jan 2013

twofour54

12-Jun-2011

Department of Economic Development - Dubai

29-Apr-2010
Financial markets in UAE
Financial market Date

Agreement with Abu Dhabi Global Market Financial Services Regulatory Authority

21-Sep-2021

Agreement regarding ANNA membership with Abu Dhabi Securities Exchange

25-Apr-2021

Anna Agreement with Dubai CSD

25-Apr-2021

Dubai Multi Commodities Centre

14-Mar-2021

Dubai Financial Services Market and Abu Dhabi Global Market

22-Nov-2018

Abu Dhabi Global Market Financial Services Regulatory Authority

22-Oct-2017

Abu Dhabi Global Market Financial Services Regulatory Authority

03-Aug-2015

Dubai Multi Commodities Centre

14-Jan-2015

Dubai Financial Market

05-Sep-2010

Abu Dhabi Securities Exchange

05-Sep-2010

Dubai Gold and Commodities Exchange

05-Jul-2006
Universities
University Date

MoU with Birmingham University

25-Nov-2023

The University of Sharjah

07-Feb-2021

The American University of Ras Al Khaimah

06-Apr-2020

Skyline University

16-Oct-2018

University Paris - Sorbonne Abu Dhabi

27-Mar-2014

University of Dubai

29-Oct-2013

Khalifa University

27-Nov-2012

Khalifa University

11-Jun-2012

The UAE University

18-Dec-2011

The University of Sharjah

07-Apr-2011

Zayed University

15-Feb-2011

The Emirates Institute for Banking & Financial Studies

31-Jan-2011

The Higher Colleges of Technology

19-Sep-2010

Hamdan Bin Mohammed University

07-Jan-2010

American University of Sharjah

13-May-2010

UAE Academy

05-Jul-2007

Professional Institutions
Institution Date

UAE Banks Federation

14-June-2023

Fintech Galaxy Limited

21-Mar-2021

AURORA FIFTY

18-Aug-2020

Al Maysan General Trading LLC

07-Oct-2019

Walter Kuwer Tagetic_ Business Intelligence

16-Oct-2018

SAP

16-Oct-2018

The GCC Board Directors Institute

27-Oct-2016

Etisalat Academy

12-Dec-2013

E-Vision

27-Nov-2013

CFA Emirates

29-Jun-2010

The Emirates Institute for Banking & Financial Studies

29-Jun-2010

CFA Emirates

09-Jun-2009

HAWKAMAH - the Institute for Corporate Governance

03-Jul-2006
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