Abu Dhabi Department of Economic Development and its affiliates (referred to as ADDED, we, us, our and The Company) respect the privacy of its users and highly value their trust in us.
This Privacy Notice explains how we collect, use, disclose and protect your personal data collected through our website, applications and any other related services provided by ADDED.
We process your personal data in accordance with the applicable data protection laws of the United Arab Emirates, including the UAE Personal Data Protection Law (PDPL), and where relevant, other international privacy regulations.
Who Are We?
ADDED is a government entity established under Law No. 7 of 2018, with its principal office located at Baniyas Tower, Al Falah Street – Saeed bin Ahmed Al Otaiba, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.
ADDED is the competent authority responsible for regulating, facilitating and promoting economic activities within the Emirate of Abu Dhabi.
Its mandate includes licensing commercial and investment activities, fostering entrepreneurship, developing new industries and markets, enhancing the private sector and attracting both domestic and foreign investment to support sustainable economic growth.
For more information, please visit www.added.gov.ae .
What Data Do We Collect?
Depending on your relationship with ADDED and the services you use, we may process the following categories of personal data:
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Personal Information
Full name, gender, date of birth and nationality. -
Contact Information
Address, telephone number and email address. -
Identification Information
Government-issued identification including Passport, Emirates ID, Driving Licence and Visa details. -
Business Information
Profession and roles in customer relationships. -
Relationship Information
Marital status and children. -
Demographic Information
Income and education level. -
Financial Information
Product or service agreements, employment information, transactions, credit history, account numbers and insurance history. -
Digital & Technical Information
IP address, device type, cookies and website session history. -
Multimedia Information
Images. -
Transaction Information
Details relating to transactions carried out through our services, including recipient details, amount and timestamp. -
Other Information
We may process additional personal information where necessary for a specific processing activity and will inform you when such information is collected.
How We May Collect Your Personal Data
We may collect your personal data through the following channels:
- Directly from you when you complete forms on our website.
- Through correspondence by telephone, email or other written communication.
- When you visit our premises and interact with our staff.
- From affiliates and authorised third-party partners with whom you have shared your information.
- Through cookies and similar technologies used on our website. Please refer to our Cookie Policy for further information.
How We May Use Your Personal Data
We use your personal data for the purposes for which it was collected, unless we reasonably consider that we need to use it for another compatible purpose.
The personal data we collect may be processed for one or more of the following purposes:
| Purpose | Description | Legal Basis |
|---|---|---|
| Provision of Services | To provide, manage and maintain our services, including responding to enquiries, applications and service requests. | To perform a task in the public interest / Performance of a Contract |
| Business Registration and Issuance of any Commercial, Trade License or Permit | To issue commercial or trade licences, permits and conduct compliance checks prior to issuance for individuals or businesses. | To perform a task in the public interest / Legal Obligation |
| Administrative Functions | To manage internal operations, record keeping, audits, reporting and other administrative activities essential to public service. | Legal Obligation / To perform a task in the public interest |
| Service Enhancements | To analyse feedback and performance to improve existing services and develop new services that meet public needs. | To perform a task in the public interest / Legitimate Interest |
| Policy Development and Planning | To conduct research, analysis and reporting for policy-making, service improvement and strategic planning. | To perform a task in the public interest / Legitimate Interest |
| Manage our Website | To operate, maintain and improve our website. | Consent |
We occasionally conduct online customer surveys to obtain your feedback. Participation in these surveys is entirely voluntary, and the information collected is used solely for research and service improvement purposes.
What Are the Legal Grounds on Which We Process Your Personal Data?
We process your personal data based on one or more of the following legal grounds:
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Performance of a Contract
Processing is necessary to fulfil a contract with you or to take steps at your request before entering into a contract. -
Legal Obligation
Processing is necessary to comply with legal or regulatory obligations to which ADDED is subject. -
Legitimate Interests
Processing is necessary for our legitimate interests, provided these interests do not override your rights and freedoms. -
Consent
Processing is based on your explicit consent for a specific purpose. You may withdraw your consent at any time without affecting the lawfulness of previous processing. -
Vital Interests
Processing is necessary to protect someone's life where required. -
Public Task
Processing is necessary for the performance of a task carried out in the public interest or in the exercise of official authority vested in ADDED.
Who Do We Share Your Data With?
Within ADDED, we share your personal data only with authorised personnel who require access to perform their official duties and strictly on a need-to-know basis.
Your personal data may also be shared with trusted third parties, including service providers, professional advisers, national authorities and other government entities where disclosure is necessary to support our operations and deliver our services.
We may disclose your personal data in the following circumstances:
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Legal and Regulatory Obligations
Where disclosure is required to comply with applicable laws, regulations, legal proceedings or to establish, exercise or defend ADDED's legal rights. Information may be shared with regulators, law enforcement agencies or legal advisers where required. -
Protection of Rights and Safety
Where disclosure is necessary to protect the rights, property or safety of ADDED, our customers, investors, suppliers or other stakeholders. Information may be shared with legal advisers or professional service providers assisting with these activities.
ADDED does not sell, exchange or distribute personal data for commercial or marketing purposes. All disclosures are carried out in accordance with applicable data protection legislation and appropriate safeguards are maintained to protect your information.
Do We Transfer Your Data Outside of the UAE?
We do not transfer or share personal data outside the United Arab Emirates, except where such transfer is required by law or regulatory obligations, or where you have provided your explicit consent.
Whenever an international transfer is required, ADDED implements appropriate contractual, organisational and technical safeguards to protect your personal data in accordance with the applicable UAE data protection legislation.
How Long Do We Retain Your Personal Data?
We retain your personal data for the duration of our relationship with you and only for as long as necessary to fulfil the purposes for which it was collected.
Where required, personal data may be retained for longer periods to comply with legal, regulatory or statutory obligations.
ADDED maintains policies governing the creation, retention and disposal of records to ensure personal data remains accurate, is securely deleted when no longer required and, where appropriate, anonymised to protect your identity.
What Are Your Rights?
In accordance with UAE Federal Decree-Law No. 45 of 2021 on the Protection of Personal Data (PDPL), you have several rights regarding the collection, processing and storage of your personal data.
Subject to applicable legal and regulatory requirements, you may exercise the following rights:
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Right to be Informed
You have the right to be informed about how your personal data is collected and used. -
Right to Receive Information
You may request confirmation of whether your personal data is being processed and obtain a copy in a structured and readable format. -
Right to Rectification or Erasure
You may request correction, updating or deletion of inaccurate, incomplete or outdated personal data where permitted by law. -
Right to Restrict Processing
You may request that processing of your personal data be restricted in certain circumstances. -
Right to Object to Processing
You may object to the processing of your personal data for direct marketing or statistical survey purposes where applicable. -
Right Regarding Automated Decision Making
You may object to decisions based solely on automated processing, including profiling, where such decisions significantly affect you. -
Right to Data Portability
Where technically feasible, you may request your personal data in a commonly used machine-readable format for transfer to another controller. -
Right to Withdraw Consent
Where processing is based on consent, you may withdraw your consent at any time without affecting previous lawful processing. -
Right to Lodge a Complaint
If you believe your personal data has been processed unlawfully, you may submit a complaint to the UAE Data Office or another relevant supervisory authority.
To exercise any of these rights, please contact our Privacy Office. We will respond within the timeframes prescribed under applicable UAE law. We may request proof of identity before processing your request.
How Do We Keep Your Data Safe and Secure?
We are committed to protecting the security of the personal data you provide to us or that we otherwise process on your behalf.
To support this commitment, ADDED has implemented appropriate technical, physical and organisational security measures designed to safeguard your personal data against unauthorised access, disclosure, alteration, loss or misuse.
These safeguards are regularly reviewed to ensure they remain appropriate to the nature, scope and risks associated with the processing of your personal data.
Do We Link to Third-Party Websites?
Our website may contain links to third-party websites that are not owned, operated or controlled by ADDED.
These links are provided solely for your convenience and should not be interpreted as an endorsement of any products, services, organisations or information provided on those websites.
Once you leave our website, you will be subject to the terms, conditions and privacy policies of the respective third-party website. ADDED is not responsible for the privacy practices, content or security measures implemented by external websites.
How to Track Changes to This Privacy Notice
We may update this Privacy Notice from time to time to reflect changes in applicable legislation, regulatory requirements or our practices regarding the collection and processing of personal data.
We encourage you to review this page periodically to remain informed about how we protect your personal data and uphold your privacy rights.
How to Contact Us
If you have any questions, comments, concerns or complaints regarding this Privacy Notice or the way ADDED collects, processes or protects your personal data, please contact our Privacy Office.
Email: privacy@ded.abudhabi.ae
We will make every reasonable effort to respond to your enquiry within the timeframes prescribed under applicable UAE data protection laws.
