INDUSTRY SEEKS UNIFIED LICENCE FOR UAE MARKET

— Emirates Post Group, regulator of the UAE’s courier industry, said the courier licence issued by the group is valid across the UAE and is linked to the courier company’s trade licence.

“We work closely with the economic development departments of each emirate to streamline the issuance of courier licences and have automated the process online for added convenience,” said a spokesperson from the regulatory arm of Emirates Post Group.

The spokesperson clarified that a courier company in the UAE needs to acquire a separate licence if it wants to expand its business in other emirates.

Some industry stakeholders said courier firms in the UAE have to pay an additional amount to secure a licence to operate in Sharjah, Ajman, Ras Al Khaimah, Fujairah and Umm Al Quwain.

“This is certainly an additional expense on the courier companies who besides paying a heavy fee for an annual licence has to pay an additional cost to each emirate,” they said.

Emirates Post Group’s spokesperson iterated that the courier licence issued by the group is valid across the UAE allowing the company to perform deliveries to all emirates.

“In the case that a courier company wants to expand its business and open another office or branch outside of the issuing emirate of their trade licence, this is then subject to the rules and regulations of the emirate they wish to open a new office/branch in. Our role is to support the courier company by issuing a no objection certificate to their new trade licence,” the spokesperson told Khaleej Times.

Elaborating, the spokesperson said if a company is based in Dubai, it can perform deliveries across all emirates. When this company wants to open a branch in Sharjah, then it needs to liaise with the economic department in Sharjah and possibly acquire a new trade licence. In this case, Emirates Post Group will issue a no objection letter to facilitate the process, the Emirates Post Group’s spokesperson said.