Also in the news...
Northern Ireland firm expands into new markets after new partnership between UKEF and Ulster Bank
UKEF’s support helping Maxflow gain access to capital through its General Export Facility (GEF) will see the business expand into new export markets.
New global growth team
A new ‘global growth team’ of UK Trade Envoys has today been appointed by the Trade Secretary to drive UK exports and investment.
New 'global growth team' appointed by Trade Secretary
A new ‘global growth team’ of UK Trade Envoys has today been appointed by the Trade Secretary to drive UK exports and investment.
UK Trade Minister visited South Africa and Botswana to strengthen trade ties
This was the first visit to Africa by UK Minister for Trade Policy Douglas Alexander, which forms part of the UK Government’s wider resetting of partnerships with Africa, which the Foreign Secretary set out in November during his visits to Nigeria and South Africa.
Former Amazon boss named interim chair of CMA
Doug Gurr will lead the CMA on its mission to support growth for the UK

Which free zone is right for me?
5 steps to choosing the perfect free zone
The benefits of UAE free zones are well-known – from 100% ownership without a UAE sponsor, to exemption from personal income tax and capital gain tax, to 0% corporate tax. It’s a long list of incentives.
These may apply to all free zones, but each individual zone does offer specific benefits. And it’s these that need to be taken into account when choosing which one is right for your company setup.
So let’s look at 5 areas to consider when choosing your ideal free zone.
- Choose a business activity: This is a first key step since each free zone has different activities that it permits. Once you know your business activity, you can immediately narrow down your list.
- Decide on office requirements: You might start with a flexi desk option in a co-working space but who knows how your business may grow. Understanding the facilities the free zone offers (for future expansion) is an important factor in your initial choice.
- Calculate visa requirements: Each free zone will have different offers. The first step is for you to look at the number of visas you need for your employees, then compare to the free zone’s offer.
- Proximity to transport hubs: For some businesses being near a main road, an airport, a sea port is critical. For others, it’s less so. Thinking about your logistical requirements ahead of time will inform your free zone choice.
- Consider your budget: For each free zone there will be different fees for licenses, visas, registration and so on. These fees will play a key role in your decision once you have finalised your budget.
For more information, click here to request a call with a member of our team