Sheikh Mansour receives UAE astronauts Sultan Al Neyadi and Hazza Al Mansouri

Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed, Vice President, Deputy Prime Minister and Chairman of the Presidential Court, received astronauts Sultan Al Neyadi and Hazza Al Mansouri.

He also met the team behind the Zayed Ambition 2 mission from the Mohammed bin Rashid Space Centre.

The meeting took place at Qasr Al Watan in Abu Dhabi on Thursday, where Sheikh Mansour was engaged conversations with the team and praised their efforts in successfully completing the UAE space mission, the longest in Arab history.

Sheikh Mansour urged the team to continue pushing forward the nation's aspirations in space, praising their achievements in the field.

He was also briefed on the UAE's future projects in the space sector and the centre's plans for the next phase, including the Emirates Astronaut Programme, which aims to develop a national team of astronauts to take part in crewed exploration flights and programmes.

Sheikh Mansour also met Hamad Al Mansouri, chairman of the board of directors of the MBRSC, Yousef Al Shaibani, vice chairman of the board of directors, and Salem Al Marri, director general of the MBRSC.

Dr Al Neyadi returned to the UAE after his historic six-month visit to the International Space Station in September.

He became the first Arab to carry out an extended space mission, as well as the first to perform a spacewalk.

He took part in more than 200 experiments on the ISS assigned by Nasa and universities in the UAE.

The MBRSC carries out research, projects and studies on space to support the UAE's drive for advancing the sector, and building national knowledge and scientific capabilities.

Ten tax points to be aware of in 2026

1. Domestic VAT refund amendments: request your refund within five years

If a business does not apply for the refund on time, they lose their credit.

2. E-invoicing in the UAE

Businesses should continue preparing for the implementation of e-invoicing in the UAE, with 2026 a preparation and transition period ahead of phased mandatory adoption.

3. More tax audits

Tax authorities are increasingly using data already available across multiple filings to identify audit risks.

4. More beneficial VAT and excise tax penalty regime

Tax disputes are expected to become more frequent and more structured, with clearer administrative objection and appeal processes. The UAE has adopted a new penalty regime for VAT and excise disputes, which now mirrors the penalty regime for corporate tax.

5. Greater emphasis on statutory audit

There is a greater need for the accuracy of financial statements. The International Financial Reporting Standards standards need to be strictly adhered to and, as a result, the quality of the audits will need to increase.

6. Further transfer pricing enforcement

Transfer pricing enforcement, which refers to the practice of establishing prices for internal transactions between related entities, is expected to broaden in scope. The UAE will shortly open the possibility to negotiate advance pricing agreements, or essentially rulings for transfer pricing purposes.

7. Limited time periods for audits

Recent amendments also introduce a default five-year limitation period for tax audits and assessments, subject to specific statutory exceptions. While the standard audit and assessment period is five years, this may be extended to up to 15 years in cases involving fraud or tax evasion.

8. Pillar 2 implementation

Many multinational groups will begin to feel the practical effect of the Domestic Minimum Top-Up Tax (DMTT), the UAE's implementation of the OECD’s global minimum tax under Pillar 2. While the rules apply for financial years starting on or after January 1, 2025, it is 2026 that marks the transition to an operational phase.

9. Reduced compliance obligations for imported goods and services

Businesses that apply the reverse-charge mechanism for VAT purposes in the UAE may benefit from reduced compliance obligations.

10. Substance and CbC reporting focus

Tax authorities are expected to continue strengthening the enforcement of economic substance and Country-by-Country (CbC) reporting frameworks. In the UAE, these regimes are increasingly being used as risk-assessment tools, providing tax authorities with a comprehensive view of multinational groups’ global footprints and enabling them to assess whether profits are aligned with real economic activity.

Contributed by Thomas Vanhee and Hend Rashwan, Aurifer

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Sheikh Mansour receives UAE astronauts Sultan Al Neyadi and Hazza Al Mansouri

Vice President of the UAE celebrated the Mohammed bin Rashid Space Centre's Zayed Ambition 2 mission

Ten tax points to be aware of in 2026

Tell-tale signs of burnout

The specs