The UAE accounting system combines international practices with local characteristics, highly complies with international financial reporting standards, and accounting records are bilingual in Arabic and English, and are closely related to tax regulations, especially value-added tax treatment. Its financial statements cover four major statements, including the balance sheet. Enterprises must disclose key information in detail in accordance with regulations, and most statements must be audited by certified public accountants in accordance with international auditing standards to ensure that financial information is transparent and true, helping enterprises to operate stably and build market trust.

Table of Contents

Accounting System 1. Compliance with accounting standards 2. Recording Language Characteristics 3. Impact of tax association Financial Statements 1. Main report composition 2. Financial Statement Disclosure Requirements 3. Necessity of Audit

Accounting System

1. Compliance with accounting standards

Accounting work in the UAE is highly compliant with the International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS), which makes corporate financial information comparable globally. When conducting business in the UAE, multinational companies can follow unified standards to handle accounts and reduce financial coordination costs. For example, in key areas such as revenue recognition and asset measurement, the application of IFRS ensures that financial data accurately reflects the economic substance of the company. At the same time, the local government will also make appropriate adjustments and supplements to the standards based on actual national conditions to meet the local business environment and regulatory needs.

2. Recording Language Characteristics

Accounting records are kept in Arabic and English. Arabic, as the official language, is indispensable in local business and government regulatory processes; English, with its international currency, makes it easier for international investors, partners and multinational companies to understand financial information. This bilingual model respects local culture and administrative norms, conforms to the trend of global business exchanges, and facilitates the smooth development of business activities in the UAE.。

3. Impact of tax association

The UAE's tax policy is relatively simple, however, accounting still needs to be closely linked to tax regulations. Since its implementation in 2018, value-added tax (VAT) has become the focus of accounting. Enterprises need to accurately distinguish between taxable and tax-exempt items, calculate, declare and pay VAT in accordance with regulations to ensure tax compliance. At the same time, some emirates may have unique tax policies for specific industries, and accountants need to have a deep understanding of them, accurately handle accounts, and avoid tax risks.

Financial Statements

1. Main report composition

The financial statements of UAE companies include balance sheet, income statement, cash flow statement and statement of changes in owners' equity. The balance sheet clearly presents the assets, liabilities and owners' equity of the company on a specific date, helping stakeholders to evaluate the company's financial strength and debt repayment ability; the income statement shows the income, costs and profits in a certain period in detail, and directly reflects the operating results; the cash flow statement records the flow of cash and cash equivalents, revealing the vitality of the company's capital operation; the statement of changes in owners' equity presents the increase and decrease of each equity item, reflecting the changes in the company's equity structure and retained earnings.

2. Financial Statement Disclosure Requirements

Enterprises must strictly disclose key financial information in accordance with regulations. Major accounting policy changes, details of related-party transactions, potential impacts of contingencies, etc. must be detailed in the notes to the financial statements. Detailed disclosure is intended to improve the transparency of financial statements, help investors, creditors, etc. fully understand the financial status and potential risks of the enterprise, and make rational decisions.

3. Necessity of Audit

Most UAE companies' financial statements are audited by certified public accountants. The audit process strictly follows international auditing standards, and certified public accountants review the authenticity and fairness of the statements. The audit report is not only an authoritative endorsement of the quality of the company's financial statements, but also a key document for companies to prove their compliance operations and financial health to regulators, investors, etc., to ensure market trust and economic stability.