UAE introduces new fees for hotels, restaurants and malls playing music

Venues that play music commercially in the UAE will be subject to new licensing fees from December 2026, the UAE’s Ministry of Economy and Tourism has announced. In a new guide, called the Collective Management in Music Guide, the ministry outlines a new system that will regulate the management of music rights, introducing new licensing fees for businesses including restaurants, cafes, hotels, malls, gyms and airlines that play music commercially. Radio stations, TV channels, and concerts will also be required to pay the new fees, per Khaleej Times. However, some institutions will be exempt, including schools and academic institutions, non-commercial celebrations and national events. The fee will work on a sliding scale and is dependent on the nature of use and the size of the business applying for the license. Each venue that receives a license will get a renewable one-year license, with fees paid to the Emirates Music Rights Association and Music Nation, the body in charge of managing the rights of composers, songwriters, singers, instrumentalists, record producers and music publishers. Per the same article, Abdullah bin Touq Al Marri, Minister of Economy and Tourism, explained that the new Collective Management in Music Guide is a move that allows for an integrated system for governing copyright and related rights in the country, as part of the UAE Vision 2031. The hope is that through the new guide and licensing requirements, copyright violations will be reduced while licensing fees are standardised, aligning with global best practices. Within the guide, a new fund, the Cultural Support Fund in the Field of Music, is also established to offer financial support and technical expertise to aspiring artists, producers and performers. Ten per cent of the fees collected will go towards the fund, which will help support emerging talent and promote Emirati music internationally.