UAE ESR Reporting Was Cancelled for Post-2022 Financial Years

What changed

Cabinet Decision No. 98 of 2024 amended the earlier ESR framework. According to the Ministry of Finance announcement, companies are no longer required to submit Economic Substance notifications or reports for financial years ending after 31 December 2022.

This change should be reflected in compliance calendars and service descriptions. A portal screen, old reminder or historic workflow is not enough to create a new current-year filing obligation.

What may still remain open

The cancellation does not erase obligations for earlier financial years. A business may still need to respond to information or amendment requests, reconcile a historic filing, retain evidence, or address penalties relating to a period when the regulations applied.

The first step is therefore to identify the financial year concerned. Historical notifications, reports, receipts, financial statements and authority correspondence should be reviewed as one period-specific file.

• Unresolved pre-2023 notifications or reports
• Authority information or amendment requests
• Historical penalty and appeal records
• Evidence requested by auditors, buyers or group compliance teams

Use accurate language in current compliance planning

Current websites and internal calendars should explain that ESR support is historical unless the Ministry of Finance publishes a new requirement. This avoids encouraging unnecessary filings and keeps attention on obligations that are actually active.

For a specific historical matter, review the official amendment and the relevant period’s facts. Legal or appeal questions may require separate specialist advice.