DED issues 3,224 licences in first quarter of 2011

The Dubai Department of Economic Development (DED) issued 3,224 licences for several types of businesses in Dubai in the first quarter of 2011, recording a 6 per cent increase compared to the last quarter of 2010. A majority of the licences was issued in the commercial sector (7%) followed by the professional sector (4%). 

The growth in the number of licences issued by DED highlights the robust performance of the economy and reflects investor confidence, and drives inward investments. 

‘General trade’ led the list of the top 10 licensed activities in the commercial category with 431 licences issued, followed by ‘Ready-made garments’ with 264, ‘Dye and paints’ with 251, 'Watches and accessories' with 248, and 'Carpeting and flooring' with 235. ‘Residences and building cleaning services’ led the list of the top 10 licensed activities in the professional category with 153 licences issued in the first quarter, followed by ‘Restaurants’ with 90, ‘Female beauty and personal care’ with 59, and ‘Female hairdressing’ with 55. 

In industrial activities, ‘Blacksmithing and welding workshops’ led the list of the top 10 licensed activities with four licences followed by ‘Metal work industry for construction’ with three, and 'Packaging of grain', 'salt', 'sugar', and 'bread' with two licences each.

The total number of transactions during the first quarter of 2011 reached 117,533 compared to 103,067 during the last quarter in 2010, a 14 per cent increase. The number of amended licenses was 12,362, while the total number of renewed licenses reached 21,667. 

The total number of commercial permits reached 14,503, a 33 per cent increase compared to the last quarter period last year, while the total number of ‘Trade name reservation’ transactions reached 12,211 names. 

The Intlaq scheme, an initiative by the Department of Economic Development to encourage more UAE nationals to set up businesses from home, recorded strong performance with 53 licences issued in the first quarter of the year, a 51 per cent increase over the last quarter of last year. The largest growth was recorded in the trade category with 34 licences followed by professional category with 19. 

The total number of field inspection visits by DED's Commercial Compliance and Consumer Protection Division reached 11,391 in first quarter of 2011