New UAE Civil Code: A question of consent

From 1 June 2026, the UAE’s new Civil Transactions Law will materially change how contractual consent is assessed and protected. For the first time, UAE law expressly regulates the negotiation phase, imposes mandatory duties of good faith and disclosure before a contract is signed, and introduces new grounds on which contracts may be challenged where consent is impaired.

These reforms have important implications for how businesses negotiate, document and enforce contracts in the UAE.

Our article examines how the new regime reshapes pre contractual liability and defects of consent. Drawing on comparative insights from France and other jurisdictions, we explore how UAE courts may approach concepts such as disclosure, mistake, misrepresentation and exploitation in practice - and what this means for deal strategy and risk allocation.

For in house legal teams and decision makers, the message is clear: understanding where the new boundaries lie will be critical to avoiding disputes, preserving deal certainty, and protecting your position when negotiations or contracts go wrong.

Our full article is available on our client platform, In Focus. To request access or learn more, please contact our team.

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