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Find out moreWelcome to the first edition of Law Update for 2025. As we begin this exciting year, we are pleased to turn our attention to one of the most dynamic sectors in the UAE and the broader GCC region – healthcare. Over the past several years, the region has seen unprecedented growth in this sector, driven by legislative advancements, technological innovations, and the increasing focus on sustainability and AI. As such, healthcare is set to be one of the most important sectors in the coming decade.
In this issue, we explore key themes that are significantly shaping the future of healthcare in the UAE, such as recent changes in foreign ownership laws. These reforms present a major opportunity for foreign investors, opening up new avenues for international collaborations and improving the overall healthcare infrastructure. The changes in ownership laws are an important milestone, and we provide an analysis of what this means for the industry and the various players involved.
Read NowThe long-awaited revisions to Saudi Arabia’s Personal Data Protection Law (PDPL) have recently been published. The changes are welcome, but much of the detail will be contained in the as yet unpublished Regulations.
We will be providing a fuller briefing in due course. In the meantime, key revisions to PDPL include:
Other areas addressed by the revisions to the PDPL include: clarifying the powers and functions of the KSA data protection regulator, revisions to the provisions dealing with data processors and also privacy policies, modifications to some of the penalties for breach of the law, and amendments that potentially make it easier for a controller to appoint a data processor. The amendments also tidy-up the drafting and address unclear language.
The changes are welcome, but much of the detail will be contained in the, as yet unpublished, Regulations. So how these new provisions will operate in practice remains to be seen.
Our Digital & Data team would be pleased to assist in providing advice on the revised Law and on compliance steps for business. Please reach out to Nick or Simon if you have any specific queries.
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