UAE Updates Agricultural And Veterinary Quarantine Laws To Strengthen Biodiversity Protection

The United Arab Emirates has approved a new package of federal laws that reshapes rules for biodiversity, food security, and cross-border trade in animals and plants. The framework covers endangered species, veterinary and agricultural quarantine, and protection of new plant varieties, aiming to align national legislation with current international agreements and scientific standards.

The legislative update replaces several older federal laws that had remained unchanged for decades. It introduces detailed definitions, clearer responsibilities for authorities, stronger enforcement tools, and stricter penalties. The measures seek to protect ecosystems, support sustainable agricultural trade, and reduce health and biosecurity risks linked to the movement of animals, plants, and related products.

The new Law on Veterinary Quarantine replaces Federal Law No. 6 of 1979, which had been in force for 45 years. It applies to all animal consignments entering, leaving, or transiting the UAE. The law sets an integrated quarantine system that includes prevention, risk assessment, prohibition, inspection, quarantine, and disposal of infected animals where needed.

Under the veterinary quarantine law, animal consignments may use only border entry points approved by the Ministry of Climate Change and Environment. Competent authorities can take precautionary measures, such as import bans or temporary quarantine restrictions, when scientific indicators or international alerts signal transboundary animal diseases, including emerging diseases and those listed by the World Organisation for Animal Health.

Agricultural quarantine rules are updated through a new Law on Agricultural Quarantine, which replaces Federal Law No. 5 of 1979. The law aligns the national framework with amendments to the International Plant Protection Convention and supports the UAE’s role as a global hub for agricultural commodity trade, while maintaining strong safeguards for plant health and food safety.

The agricultural quarantine law introduces terms such as phytosanitary regulations, regulated articles, pests, quarantine pests, beneficial organisms, and phytosanitary certificates. Its provisions cover plants, plant products, beneficial organisms, and regulated articles imported into, exported from, or passing in transit through the UAE. The law highlights agricultural quarantine as a vital barrier against pests and diseases that threaten food security and public health.

Another core element is the new law governing international trade in endangered animal and plant species. It replaces Federal Law No. 11 of 2002, which had remained unchanged for more than 22 years. The updated legislation supports the UAE’s strategy on biodiversity protection and ensures compliance with the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora, known as CITES.

The endangered species law applies across all UAE territories, including free zones, and covers specimens and endangered species listed in annexes attached to the law and any future amendments. It prohibits importing, exporting, re-exporting, transiting, or introducing from the sea endangered specimens through any border point, strengthening border controls and reducing the risk of illegal wildlife trade.

The law grants broader executive powers to the national administrative authority, identified as the Ministry of Climate Change and Environment. The ministry is responsible for implementation, enforcement of rules on international trade in endangered specimens, combating illegal trade, issuing required certificates, and setting the conditions for their issuance. These new powers are designed to enable faster regulatory responses and enhanced oversight.

Detailed terminology is introduced or updated in the endangered species law, including definitions for endangered species, pre-convention specimens, falcon passport, shipment, and phytosanitary certificate. Existing terms are revised to match the UAE’s legislative drafting framework and to reflect periodic changes to the CITES appendices and associated procedures, ensuring the law remains aligned with global standards.

UAE federal laws on new plant varieties and breeders’ rights

The Law on the Protection of New Plant Varieties replaces Federal Law No. 17 of 2009. It aims to regulate breeders’ rights, encourage agricultural innovation, and support food and biosecurity. The law is aligned with standards set by the International Union for the Protection of New Varieties of Plants and extends protection to all plant genera and species.

The law creates a Register for the Protection of New Plant Varieties within the Ministry of Climate Change and Environment and defines the powers of the Registrar. A breeder is defined as the person who bred, or discovered and developed, the variety, along with the breeder’s employer or legal successor, ensuring that different ownership structures are covered.

Protection for a new plant variety is granted when it is new, distinct, uniform, and stable. The law sets a protection period of 20 years for most varieties, and 25 years for vines and trees. Novelty requirements are revised, and standards of distinctness and uniformity are clarified, providing a more precise legal basis for assessing applications and potential violations.

Penalties and enforcement under UAE federal laws

Across the legislative package, penalties are strengthened to deter violations. Under the endangered species law, fines range from AED30,000 to AED2 million, with custodial penalties of up to four years in some cases. Violators must pay costs linked to seizure, transport, care, storage, and disposal of specimens, with mandatory deportation for repeat foreign offenders.

The agricultural quarantine law sets increased penalties, with fines reaching AED500,000 and mandatory deportation in the event of recidivism for foreign offenders. The Law on the Protection of New Plant Varieties introduces custodial penalties of up to three years and fines of up to AED250,000, targeting infringements of breeders’ rights and misuse of protected varieties.

Enforcement tools are also expanded. The national administrative authority gains the power to dispose of seized endangered specimens following judicial rulings. The endangered species law regulates transit specimens by allowing suspension of transit and seizure when required export or re-export certificates are missing or when documents do not match the consignment.

Veterinary quarantine is described as the first line of defence against the entry and spread of infectious animal diseases. It protects public health, conserves biodiversity and ecosystems, and supports national food security. Agricultural quarantine is presented as an essential shield against harmful pests and diseases that could damage crops, affect trade, and threaten environmental and human health.

Through these updated UAE federal laws, authorities aim to integrate plant and animal health measures with biodiversity protection and trade regulation. The combined effect is to strengthen legal certainty for traders and breeders while protecting ecosystems, aligning with international obligations, and giving competent authorities clearer tools to manage risks at borders and within the national territory.

With inputs from WAM