قطاع الفتوى والتشريع وقضايا الدولة
Sector of Legal Opinion and Legislation and State Cases
المراسيم بقوانين اتحادية
مرسوم بقانون اتحادي رقم (16) لسنة 2021
في شأن التخصيم وحوالة الذمم المدينة
Decrees of federal laws
Federal Decree Law No. (16) for the year 2021
On Factoring & Assignment of Receivables
المراسيم بقوانين اتحادية
• مرسوم بقانون اتحادي رقم (16) لسنة 2021 في شأن التخصيم وحوالة الذمم المدينة
Decrees of federal laws
• Federal Decree Law No. (16) for the year 2021 On factoring & Assignment of Receivables
• النسخة العربية المعتمدة تم نشرها بعدد الجريدة الرسمية رقم (711) بتاريخ 9 سبتمبر 2021
• The approved Arabic versions has been published Official Gazette no. (711) dated 9 September 2021
المراسيم بقوانين اتحادية
مرسوم بقانون اتحادي رقم (16) لسنة 2021
في شأن التخصيم وحوالة الذمم المدينة
نحن خليفة بن زايد آل نهيان
رئيس دولة الإمارات العربية المتحدة
بعد الاطلاع على الدستور،
وعلى القانون الاتحادي رقم (1) لسنة 1972 بشأن اختصاصات الوزارات وصلاحيات الوزراء، وتعديلاته،
وعلى القانون الاتحادي رقم (3) لسنة 1983 بشأن السلطة القضائية الاتحادية، وتعديلاته،
وعلى القانون الاتحادي رقم (5) لسنة 1985 بإصدار قانون المعاملات المدنية، وتعديلاته،
وعلى القانون الاتحادي رقم (11) لسنة 1992 بإصدار قانون الإجراءات المدنية، وتعديلاته،
وعلى القانون الاتحادي رقم (10) لسنة 1993 بإصدار قانون الإثبات في المعاملات المدنية والتجارية، وتعديلاته،
وعلى القانون الاتحادي رقم (18) لسنة 1993 في شأن قانون المعاملات التجارية، وتعديلاته،
وعلى القانون الاتحادي رقم (4) لسنة 2000 في شأن هيئة وسوق الإمارات للأوراق المالية والسلع، وتعديلاته،
وعلى القانون الاتحادي رقم (8) لسنة 2004 في شأن المناطق الحرة المالية،
وعلى القانون اتحادي رقم (1) لسنة 2006 في شأن المعاملات والتجارة الإلكترونية، وتعديلاته،
وعلى القانون الاتحادي رقم (2) لسنة 2015 بشأن الشركات التجارية، وتعديلاته،
وعلى المرسوم بقانون اتحادي رقم (9) لسنة 2016 بشأن الإفلاس، وتعديلاته،
وعلى القانون الاتحادي رقم (7) لسنة 2017 في شأن الإجراءات الضريبية، وتعديلاته،
وعلى المرسوم بقانون اتحادي رقم (10) لسنة 2018 في شأن المقاصة على أساس الصافي،
وعلى المرسوم بقانون اتحادي رقم (14) لسنة 2018 في شأن المصرف المركزي وتنظيم المنشآت والأنشطة المالية، وتعديلاته،
وعلى المرسوم بقانون اتحادي رقم (19) لسنة 2019 بشأن الإعسار،
وعلى القانون الاتحادي رقم (4) لسنة 2020 في شأن ضمان الحقوق في الأموال المنقولة،
وبناء على ما عرضه وزير المالية، وموافقة مجلس الوزراء،
أصدرنا المرسوم بقانون الآتي:
الفصل الأول
التعاريف ونطاق التطبيق
المادة (1)
التعاريف
في تطبيق أحكام هذا المرسوم بقانون يقصد بالكلمات والعبارات التالية المعاني المبينة قرين كل منها ما لم يقض سياق النص بغير ذلك:
الدولة : الإمارات العربية المتحدة.
الوزارة : وزارة المالية.
الوزير : وزير المالية.
الشخص : الشخص الطبيعي أو الاعتباري.
التخصيم : معاملة يقوم بموجبها المحيل بحوالة الذمة المدينة الحالية أو المستقبلة أو كلاهما لمحال له، أو الاتفاق على أن يقوم المحال له بالاحتفاظ بالقيود المتعلقة بالذمة المدينة المحالة وتحصيلها وتوفير الحماية للمحال له في حال إخلال المدين بالذمة المدينة بالسداد.
الحوالة : الاتفاق الذي يتم بموجبه نقل حقوق المحيل التعاقدية في استيفاء مبلغ نقدي مترتب في ذمة المدين بالذمة المدينة، إلى المحال له، وتشمل الحوالة الاتفاق على إنشاء حق ضمان على الذمة المدينة، وحوالتها كضمان، وبيعها بيعاً نهائياً.
المحيل : الشخص الذي قام بحوالة الذمة المدينة للمحال له.
المحال له : الشخص الذي تمت حوالة الذمة المدينة له.
المطالب المزاحم : يشمل:
- المحال له الآخر الذي قام المحيل بإحالة الذمة المدينة ذاتها له بما في ذلك الشخص الذي يطالب بحق قرره له القانون في الذمة المدينة التي تمت إحالتها لوجود حق له في أموال المحيل الأخرى.
- دائن المحيل.
- أمين الإفلاس.
الذمة المدينة : الحق العقدي في استيفاء مبالغ مالية مترتبة للمحيل في ذمة المدين بالذمة المدينة.
المدين بالذمة المدينة : الشخص المدين بسداد الذمة المدينة المحالة.
الذمة المدينة الحالية : الذمة المدينة التي نشأت قبل إبرام عقد الحوالة أو وقت إبرامه.
الذمة المدينة المستقبلة : الذمة المدينة الناشئة بعد إبرام عقد الحوالة.
إخطار الحوالة : إخطار كتابي يحدد بموجبه الذمة المدينة المحالة والمحال له.
العقد الأصلي : العقد المبرم بين المحيل والمدين بالذمة المدينة والذي نشأت بموجبه الذمة المدينة.
العوائد : كل ما يتم قبضه من الذمة المدينة المحالة، سواء كلياً أو جزئياً، ويشمل كل ما يتم قبضه على شكل عوائد، ولا يشمل البضائع التي تتم إعادتها.
الإشهار : القيد المتعلق بحوالة ذمة مدينة في السجل أو أي تعديل أو إلغاء له وفقاً لأحكام القانون الاتحادي رقم (4) لسنة 2020 المشار إليه.
السجل : السجل الإلكتروني المخصص لإشهار الحقوق على الأموال المنقولة.
الحقوق الإضافية : أية حقوق شخصية أو عينية تضمن الوفاء بقيمة الذمة المدينة التي تمت إحالتها، بما في ذلك حقوق الضمان المنشأة على البضائع، والضمانات، والتأمين على الائتمان.
كتابة : المعلومات التي يتم إنشاؤها أو نقلها أو تسلمها أو تخزينها بالكتابة أو بالوسائل الإلكترونية، بما في ذلك وسائل الاتصالات الحديثة.
المادة (2)
نطاق التطبيق
- تسري أحكام هذا المرسوم بقانون على أي حوالة تتم في إطار المعاملات التجارية أو المدنية، ولو تمت من خلال سوق مالي خاضع للتنظيم، وسواء كانت مع حق الرجوع على المحيل أو بدون حق الرجوع.
- يستثنى من تطبيق أحكام هذا المرسوم بقانون حوالات الذمة المدينة التي تنشأ بموجب ما يأتي:
- المعاملات التي يجريها الشخص لأغراضه الشخصية أو العائلية المنزلية.
- العقود المالية التي تنظمها اتفاقيات مقاصة.
- معاملات الصرف الأجنبي.
- أنظمة واتفاقيات الدفع بين البنوك، وأنظمة المقاصة على أساس الصافي، والتسوية المتعلقة بالأوراق المالية أو الأصول أو الأدوات المالية الأخرى.
- إعادة شراء الأوراق المالية أو الأصول أو الأدوات المالية المودعة لدى وسيط.
- كما يستثنى من تطبيق أحكام هذا المرسوم بقانون ما يلي:
- الحق في الدفعات المالية المثبتة في السندات القابلة للتظهير.
- الحق في الدفعات المودعة في الحسابات الدائنة لدى البنوك.
- الحق في الدفعات بموجب الأوراق المالية والاعتمادات المستندية وخطابات الضمان.
- ليس في هذا المرسوم بقانون ما يمس حقوق المحيل والمدين بالذمة المدينة والتزامات أي منهما بمقتضى القوانين التي تحكم حماية الأطراف في المعاملات التي تتم لأغراض شخصية أو عائلية أو منزلية.
المادة (3)
إرادة الأطراف
مع مراعاة أحكام البند (2) من المادة (17) من هذا المرسوم بقانون، يجوز للمحيل والمحال له والمدين بالذمة المدينة الاتفاق على تحديد الأحكام المنظمة لحقوق كل منهم وواجباته شريطة ألا يمس هذا الاتفاق بحقوق الغير الذي لم يكن طرفاً في هذا الاتفاق.
الفصل الثاني
أثر الحوالة بين الأطراف
المادة (4)
صحة الحوالة
- تعد الحوالة بمجرد إبرامها عقداً ملزماً ما لم يحتفظ أحد الأطراف لنفسه بخيار فسخه.
- تعد الحوالة نافذة بين المحيل والمحال له ولو لم يتسلم المدين بالذمة المدينة إخطاراً بالحوالة.
- تعد الحوالة نافذة بين المحيل والمحال له وفي مواجهة المدين بالذمة المدينة والمطالب المزاحم، ويبقى للمحال له حق الأولوية ولو تعلقت الحوالة بأكثر من ذمة مدينة أو بحقوق مجزأة أو غير مجزأة في ذمة مدينة.
- تعد الحوالة نافذة شريطة أن تكون الذمم المدينة موضوع الحوالة موصوفة وصفاً عاماً أو محدداً بما يتيح التعرف عليها، ويشمل ذلك وصفها على أنها كامل الذمم المدينة الحالية للمحيل، أو كامل الذمم المستقبلة للمحيل، أو فئة محددة أو نوع محدد أو عام من تلك الذمم المدينة.
- تعد الحوالة التي تقع على ذمة مدينة مستقبلة أو أكثر نافذة دون الحاجة للدخول في أية معاملة جديدة لتحويل كل منها على حدة.
المادة (5)
الجوانب التعاقدية الأخرى
- تضمن الحوالة التزاماً واحداً أو أكثر سواء أكان حالياً أو مستقبلاً، محدداً أو قابلاً للتحديد، معلقاً على شرط أو ناجزاً، ثابتاً أو متغيراً.
- لا يعتد بأي قيد يرد على حق المحيل في حوالة الذمم المدينة ولا يؤثر على صحة الحوالة أو نفاذها، وللمدين بالذمة المدينة أن يتمسك بأي دفوع أو حقوق مقاصة في مواجهة المحال له، ولا يكون المحيل مسؤولاً عن الإخلال بالأحكام التي قيدت الحوالة الواردة في العقد الأصلي.
المادة (6)
نقل الحقوق الإضافية
- تنتقل الحقوق الإضافية إلى المحال له دون اتخاذ إجراء جديد لانتقالها ما لم يكن القانون الذي يقرر الحق يوجب على المحيل القيام بإجراء جديد لغايات انتقال الحق للمحال، وفي هذه الحالة يكون المحيل ملزماً بنقل ذلك الحق وأية عوائد إلى المحال له.
- تنتقل الحقوق الإضافية وفق أحكام البند (1) من هذه المادة، ولو كان هناك اتفاق بين المحيل والمدين بالذمة المدينة أو أي شخص آخر أنشأ تلك الحقوق يقيد حق المحيل في حوالة الذمة المدينة أو الحق الإضافي بأي شكل.
الفصل الثالث
النفاذ في مواجهة الغير والأولوية
المادة (7)
النفاذ في مواجهة الغير بالإشهار وأولوية حق المحال لهم
- يخضع نفاذ الحوالات في مواجهة الغير لأحكام الفصل الخامس من القانون الاتحادي رقم (4) لسنة 2020 المشار إليه.
- لا تكون حوالة الذمم المدينة الخاضعة لأحكام هذا المرسوم بقانون نافذة في مواجهة الغير إلا بإشهارها في السجل.
- تحدد أحكام النفاذ في مواجهة الغير وأولوية حقوق المحال لهم على عوائد الذمة المدينة المحالة بموجب المادة (11) من القانون الاتحادي رقم (4) لسنة 2020 المشار إليه.
المادة (8)
الأولوية بين أصحاب المطالبات المزاحمة
تطبق أحكام القانون الاتحادي رقم (4) لسنة 2020 المشار إليه على ما يأتي:
- تحديد أولوية حقوق المحال لهم التي ترد على الذمة المدينة حسب الأولوية في الإشهار.
- تحديد أولوية الالتزامات المترتبة على المحيل التي تنشأ بعد الإشهار وعلى الذمة المدينة المستقبلة.
- تحديد أولوية الحوالة في مواجهة الحقوق غير التعاقدية بما في ذلك حقوق أمين الإفلاس والمحكوم لهم والديون المستحقة للدولة وموظفي المحيل.
الفصل الرابع
حقوق المحيل والمحال له والتزاماتهما ودفوعهما
المادة (9)
حقوق المحيل والمحال له والتزاماتهما
تخضع الحقوق والالتزامات المتبادلة للمحيل والمحال له الناشئة عن اتفاقهما للشروط والأحكام الواردة في ذلك الاتفاق.
المادة (10)
إقرار المحيل
- يجوز أن تتضمن اتفاقية حوالة الذمم المدينة الإقرارات والتعهدات التالية من المحيل عند إتمام الحوالة:
- أنه يملك الصلاحية لحوالة الذمة المدينة.
- أنه لم يقم بحوالة الذمة المدينة إلى محال له آخر سابقاً.
- أنه ليس للمدين في الذمة المدينة الحق في إثارة أي دفوع أو إجراء المقاصة، وذلك مع مراعاة أحكام المادة (16) من هذا المرسوم بقانون.
- لا يضمن المحيل قدرة المدين بالذمة المدينة على السداد سواء حالاً أو مستقبلاً.
المادة (11)
الحق في إخطار المدين
- يحق لكل من المحيل والمحال له إرسال إخطار وتعليمات سداد للمدين بالذمة المدينة، وفي حال تسلم المدين بالذمة المدينة للإخطار ينحصر الحق في إصدار تعليمات السداد بالمحال له.
- يعد إخطار الحوالة أو تعليمات السداد الموجهين وفق أحكام البند (1) من هذه المادة نافذين لغايات المادة (15) من هذا المرسوم بقانون، ولو كان توجيههما يشكل إخلالاً باتفاق ما، على أن لا يمس ذلك بأي التزام أو مسؤولية على الطرف المخل بالاتفاق عن أية أضرار تنشأ نتيجة هذا الإخلال.
المادة (12)
حق الاستيفاء
- تحدد حقوق المحيل والمحال له سواء تم توجيه إخطار الحوالة أم لم يتم وفقاً لما يأتي:
- إذا تم سداد الذمة المدينة المحالة للمحال له، يحق للمحال له الاحتفاظ بالعوائد والبضائع المعادة المتعلقة بالذمة المدينة المحالة.
- إذا تم سداد الذمة المدينة المحالة للمحيل، يحق للمحال له قبض العوائد والأموال المنقولة المادية المتعلقة بالذمة المدينة المحالة والتي تمت إعادتها للمحيل.
- إذا تم سداد الذمة المدينة المحالة لشخص آخر ذي مرتبة أولوية أدنى من مرتبة أولوية المحال له، يحق للمحال له قبض العوائد والأموال المنقولة المادية المعادة لهذا الشخص والمتعلقة بالذمة المدينة المحالة.
- لا يحق للمحال له استيفاء ما يزيد على حقوقه في الذمة المدينة.
المادة (13)
حماية المدين بالذمة المدينة
- دون الإخلال بأحكام هذا المرسوم بقانون، لا تؤثر الحوالة على حقوق والتزامات المدين بالذمة المدينة بما في ذلك شروط السداد الواردة في العقد الأصلي ما لم يوافق على ذلك.
- يجوز أن تتضمن تعليمات السداد تعديلا على الشخص أو العنوان أو الحساب الذي يجب على المدين بالذمة المدينة الوفاء له، وفي جميع الأحوال لا يجوز أن يتضمن التعديل أياً مما يأتي:
- العملة المحددة في العقد الأصلي التي يجب السداد بها.
- الدولة المحددة في العقد الأصلي والتي يجب السداد فيها لتصبح دولة أخرى لا يوجد فيها المدين بالذمة المدينة.
المادة (14)
إخطار المدين بالذمة المدينة
- يعد إخطار الحوالة أو تعليمات السداد نافذين عند تسلمهما من المدين بالذمة المدينة إذا كانا محررين باللغة المحرر بها العقد الأصلي أو بلغة أخرى يتوقع علم مستلم الإخطار بها.
- يجوز أن يتعلق إخطار الحوالة أو تعليمات السداد بذمة مدينة تنشأ بعد توجيه الإخطار.
- إذا تمت حوالة الذمة المدينة ذاتها بشكل متتالي، يعد الإخطار بالحوالة اللاحقة إخطاراً لجميع الحوالات السابقة.
المادة (15)
إبراء ذمة المدين بالذمة المدينة عن طريق السداد
- إذا قام المدين بالذمة المدينة بالسداد وفقاً لشروط العقد الأصلي قبل تسلمه إخطار الحوالة، تبرأ ذمته منها.
- دون الإخلال بأحكام هذه المادة، بعد تسلم المدين بالذمة المدينة إخطار الحوالة، لا تبرأ ذمته إلا بقيامه بسداد الذمة المحالة للمحال له أو وفقاً لتعليمات السداد التي تضمنها إخطار الحوالة أو وردت في إشعار كتابي لاحق مرسل من المحال له إلى المدين بالذمة المدينة.
- إذا تسلم المدين بالذمة المدينة أكثر من تعليمات سداد تتعلق بالحوالة على الذمة المدينة ذاتها ومن المحيل ذاته، تبرأ ذمته إذا قام بالسداد وفق آخر تعليمات سداد تسلمها من المحال له قبل قيامه بالسداد.
- إذا تسلم المدين بالذمة المدينة عدة إخطارات تتعلق بعدة حوالات على الذمة المدينة ذاتها من المحيل ذاته، تبرأ ذمته إذا سدد الذمة المدينة وفق أول إخطار تسلمه.
- إذا تسلم المدين بالذمة المدينة إخطاراً يتعلق بحوالة لاحقة أو أكثر، تبرأ ذمته إذا قام بالسداد وفق الإخطار المتعلق بآخر تلك الحوالات اللاحقة.
- إذا تسلم المدين بالذمة المدينة إخطار حوالة يتعلق بجزء أو حق غير مجزأ في ذمة مدينة أو أكثر، تبرأ ذمته إذا سدد وفق الإخطار الحوالة أو وفق أحكام هذه المادة كما لو أن المدين بالذمة المدينة لم يتسلم الإخطار.
- إذا سدد المدين بالذمة المدينة وفقا للإخطار المنصوص عليه في البند (6) من هذه المادة، تبرأ ذمته بمقدار الجزء أو الحق غير المجزأ الذي أوفاه.
- يحق للمدين بالذمة المدينة عند تسلم إخطار الحوالة من المحال له، أن يطلب من المحال له أن يقدم، خلال (7) سبعة أيام عمل، إثباتاً على إنشاء الحوالة بين المحيل الأول والمحال له الأول وأية حوالات أخرى تمت، وإذا لم يقم المحال له بذلك، يعد المدين بالذمة المدينة بريء الذمة عند قيامه بالسداد وفقا أحكام هذه المادة وكأنه لم يقم بتسلم الإخطار من المحال له. وتعد أية كتابة تصدر عن المحيل إثباتاً كافياً على وجود الحوالة.
- لا تؤثر أحكام هذه المادة على أي سبب آخر لإبراء ذمة المدين بالذمة المدينة نتيجة قيامه بسدادها لأي شخص مستحق لها أو لسلطة قضائية مختصة أو لسلطة أخرى مختصة.
المادة (16)
الدفوع وحق المقاصة العائدين للمدين بالذمة المدينة
إذا أقام المحال له دعوى على المدين بالذمة المدينة لمطالبته بالذمة المدينة المحالة، يحق للمدين بالذمة المدينة أن يتمسك في مواجهة المحال له بما يأتي:
- جميع الدفوع وحقوق المقاصة الناشئة عن العقد الأصلي، أو أي عقد آخر يعد جزءاً من المعاملة ذاتها، ويستفيد منها المدين بالذمة المدينة كما لو أن الحوالة لم تتم وأن المطالبة قدمت من المحيل.
- أي حق آخر بإجراء المقاصة يكون مقرراً للمدين بالذمة المدينة وقت تسلمه إخطار الحوالة.
المادة (17)
الاتفاق على عدم إثارة أي دفوع أو حقوق المقاصة
- للمدين بالذمة المدينة الاتفاق مع المحيل كتابةً على التنازل عن حقه في إثارة أي دفوع أو التمسك بحق المقاصة المقرر له بموجب المادة (16) من هذا المرسوم بقانون في مواجهة المحال له.
- لا يجوز للمدين بالذمة المدينة التنازل عن الدفوع الآتية:
- الدفوع التي تنشأ عن أفعال احتيالية يرتكبها المحال له.
- أية دفوع تتعلق بعدم أهلية المدين بالذمة المدينة.
- للمدين بالذمة المدينة تعديل التنازل على أن يكون التعديل كتابة، ويخضع أثر هذا التعديل بالنسبة للمحال له لأحكام البند (2) من المادة (18) من هذا المرسوم بقانون.
المادة (18)
تعديل العقد الأصلي
- يعد الاتفاق الذي يبرمه المحيل مع المدين بالذمة المدينة قبل إخطار الحوالة والذي يؤثر على حقوق المحال له نافذاً في مواجهته ويكسبه الحقوق الناشئة عن ذلك الاتفاق.
- لا يكون الاتفاق الذي يبرمه المحيل مع المدين بالذمة المدينة الذي يتم إبرامه بعد الإخطار بالحوالة نافذاً إلا في الحالتين الآتيتين:
- موافقة المحال له.
- إذا كانت الحوالة متعلقة بذمم مدينة مستقبلة.
- لا يخل تطبيق البندين (1) و(2) من هذه المادة بأي حق من حقوق المحيل أو المحال له الناشئة عن الإخلال بالاتفاقية المبرمة بينهما.
المادة (19)
استرداد الدفعات
لا يحق للمدين بالذمة المدينة مطالبة المحال له باسترداد ما دفعه له أو مطالبة المحيل وذلك إذا أخل المحيل بتنفيذ التزاماته بموجب العقد الأصلي.
المادة (20)
تحصيل الذمة المدينة
- إذا اتخذت الحوالة شكل حق ضمان منشأ على الذمة المدينة أو تمت كضمان:
- عند حصول الإخلال من المحيل، يكون للمحال له الحق في تحصيل الدفعات من المدين بالذمة المدينة وفق أحكام هذه المادة والمادة (21) من هذا المرسوم بقانون.
- قبل إخلال المحيل، للمحال له استعمال حقه بالتحصيل إذا وافق المحيل على ذلك.
- في حال بيع الذمة المدينة، يكون المحال له مخولاً بتحصيل الذمة المدينة في أي وقت بعد استحقاقها.
- يحق للمحال له الذي يمارس حق التحصيل بموجب هذه المادة أن يقوم بالتنفيذ على أي من الحقوق الإضافية.
المادة (21)
التصرف
للمحال له أن يحصل حقوقه في الذمة المدينة بأية وسيلة يتفق عليها في عقد الحوالة أو بموجب الفصلين السابع والثامن من القانون الاتحادي رقم (4) لسنة 2020 المشار إليه.
الفصل الخامس
القوانين الواجبة التطبيق على حوالة الذمة المدينة
المادة (22)
القانون الواجب التطبيق على حوالة الذمة المدينة
- يحدد القانون الواجب التطبيق على إنشاء حوالة الذمة المدينة ونفاذها في مواجهة الغير، والأولوية، وتنفيذ حوالة الذمة المدينة والعوائد بموجب المادة (42) من القانون الاتحادي رقم (4) لسنة 2020 المشار إليه.
- تخضع المسائل الآتية للقانون الذي يحكم الحقوق والالتزامات بين المدين والمحيل:
- حقوق والتزامات المحال له والمدين بالذمة المدينة.
- الحالات التي يجوز فيها التمسك بالحوالة في مواجهة المدين بالذمة المدينة، بما في ذلك إمكانية استناد المدين بالذمة المدينة على لاتفاق الذي يقيد حق المحيل بحوالة الذمة المدينة.
- مدى قيام المدين بالذمة المدينة بتنفيذ التزاماته.
المادة (23)
تطبيق القوانين الأخرى
تسري أحكام القانون الاتحادي رقم (4) لسنة 2020 المشار إليه على حوالة الذمة المدينة المنظمة في هذا المرسوم بقانون، وذلك فيما لا يتعارض مع أحكامه.
الفصل السادس
أحكام ختامية
المادة (24)
المعاملات السابقة وتوفيق الأوضاع
- يجوز للمحال له إشهار الحوالة التي نشأت عن أية معاملة أبرمت قبل تاريخ العمل بأحكام هذا المرسوم بقانون بقيدها في السجل دون الحصول على موافقة من المحيل، وذلك خلال (6) ستة أشهر من تاريخ العمل بأحكام هذا المرسوم بقانون.
- تحدد أولوية الحوالة التي تم إشهارها خلال المدة المحددة في البند (1) من هذه المادة من تاريخ نفاذها في مواجهة الغير وفقاً لأحكام القوانين التي نشأت بموجبها، وبخلاف ذلك تصبح نافذة في مواجهة الغير من تاريخ إشهارها في السجل.
المادة (25)
الجوانب التنظيمية
لا يجوز مزاولة نشاط التخصيم في الدولة إلا بعد الحصول على ترخيص بذلك من المصرف المركزي، ووفقاً للشروط والأحكام التي يصدر بها قرار من المصرف.
المادة (26)
إلغاء التشريعات
يُلغى كل حكم يخالف أو يتعارض مع أحكام هذا المرسوم بقانون.
المادة (27)
نشر المرسوم بقانون والعمل به
يُنشر هذا المرسوم بقانون في الجريدة الرسمية، ويُعمل به بعد مرور (90) يوماً من تاريخ نشره.
خليفة بن زايد آل نهيان
رئيس دولة الإمارات العربية المتحدة
صدر عنا في قصر الرئاسة في أبوظبي:
بتاريخ : 20 / محـــــــــــرم / 1443هـ
الموافق : 29 / أغسطس / 2021م
Federal Decree-Law No (16) For the Year 2021
On Factoring & Assignment of Receivables
WE KHALIFA BIN ZAYED AL NAHYAN, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED ARAB EMIRATES,
PURSUANT TO THE PERUSAL OF THE CONSTITUTION,
FEDERAL LAW NO. (1) OF 1972 ON THE COMPETENCIES OF THE MINISTRIES AND POWERS OF THE MINISTERS AND ITS AMENDMENTS;
FEDERAL LAW NO. (3) OF 1983 ON THE FEDERAL JUDICIAL AUTHORITY AND ITS AMENDMENTS;
CIVIL TRANSACTIONS LAW PROMULGATED BY FEDERAL LAW NO. (5) OF 1985 AND ITS AMENDMENTS;
CIVIL PROCEDURE LAW PROMULGATED BY FEDERAL LAW NO. (11) OF 1992 AND ITS AMENDMENTS;
LAW OF EVIDENCE IN CIVIL AND COMMERCIAL TRANSACTIONS PROMULGATED BY FEDERAL LAW NO. (10) OF 1993 AND ITS AMENDMENTS;
COMMERCIAL TRANSACTIONS LAW PROMULGATED BY FEDERAL LAW NO. (18) OF 1993;
FEDERAL LAW NO (4) OF 2000 ON THE EMIRATES SECURITIES AND COMMODITIES AUTHORITY AND ITS AMENDMENTS;
FEDERAL LAW NO. (8) OF 2004 ON FINANCIAL FREE ZONES;
FEDERAL LAW NO. (1) OF 2006 ON ELECTRONIC COMMERCE AND TRANSACTIONS AND ITS AMENDMENTS;
FEDERAL LAW NO. (2) OF 2015 ON COMMERCIAL COMPANIES AND ITS AMENDMENTS;
FEDERAL DECREE-LAW NO. (9) OF 2016 ON BANKRUPTCY AND ITS AMENDMENTS;
FEDERAL LAW NO. (7) OF 2017 ON TAX PROCEDURES AND ITS AMENDMENTS;
FEDERAL DECREE-LAW NO. (10) OF 2018 OF NET OFF-SET;
FEDERAL DECREE-LAW NO. (14) OF 2018 ON CENTRAL BANK AND ORGANIZING FINANCIAL ESTABLISHMENTS AND ACTIVITIES;
AND FEDERAL DECREE-LAW NO. (19) OF 2019 ON THE INSOLVENCY;
AND FEDERAL DECREE-LAW NO. (4) OF 2020 ON SECURING INTEREST WITH MOVABLE PROPERTY;
UPON THE PROPOSAL OF THE MINISTER OF FINANCE AND THE APPROVAL OF THE COUNCIL OF MINISTERS,
HAVE ISSUED THE FOLLOWING DECREE-LAW:
CHAPTER I
DEFINITIONS & SCOPE OF APPLICATION
Article (1)
Definitions
In the application of this Decree-Law, the following terms and expressions shall have the meaning set herein unless the context specifies otherwise:
| State: | United Arab Emirates. |
| Ministry: | The Ministry of Finance. |
| Minister: | The Minister of Finance. |
| Person | Any natural or legal person. |
| Factoring: | A transaction pursuant to which the Assignor transfers to the Assignee existing or future receivables, or both or agree that the Assignee maintains the records relating to Receivable assigned, collects the receivable, and provides protection to the Assignee against the Debtor of Receivable default in payment. |
| Assignment: | The transfer by agreement of the Assignor's contractual rights to payment of a monetary sum owed by a Debtor of Receivable. Assignment includes the creation of a security interest over a Receivable, assignment thereof as security, and an outright sale of a Receivable. |
| Assignor: | The Person that has assigned the Receivable to an Assignee. |
| Assignee: | The Person to whom the Receivable has been assigned. |
| Competing Claimant: | Includes:-
|
| Receivable: | A contractual right to payment of a monetary sum due to the Assignor from the Debtor of Receivable. |
| Debtor of Receivable: | A Person that owes payment of an assigned Receivable. |
| Existing Receivable: | A Receivable that arises upon or before conclusion of the contract of assignment. |
| Future Receivable: | A Receivable that arises after conclusion of the contract of assignment. |
| Notification of Assignment: | A communication in Writing that identifies the assigned Receivables and the Assignee. |
| Original Contract: | The contract entered into between the Assignor and the Debtor of Receivable from which the assigned Receivable arises. |
| Proceeds: | Whatever is received in respect of an assigned Receivable, whether totally or partially. The term includes whatever is received in respect of proceeds. The term does not include returned goods. |
| Publicizing: | Registration with respect to an assignment of a Receivable in the Registry, including registration of any amendment or cancellation as prescribed in aforementioned Federal Law No (4) of 2020. |
| Registry: | The electronic registry established for the purpose of Publicizing interests in movable property. |
| Supporting Rights: | Any personal or property right securing payment of the assigned Receivable, including a security interest in the goods, a guarantee, and credit insurance. |
| Writing: | Includes creation, transmission, receipt, or storage of information by electronic means, including by modern telecommunication means. |
Article (2)
Scope of Application
This Decree-Law shall apply to any assignment in the framework of commercial or civil transactions, whether or not made on a regulated exchange, with or without recourse against the Assignor.
This Decree-Law does not apply to assignments of Receivables arising under or from:
a transaction made by an individual for his or her personal, family or household purposes;
financial contracts governed by netting agreements;
foreign exchange transactions;
inter-bank payment systems, inter-bank payment agreements or clearance and net clearing/settlement systems relating to securities or other financial assets or instruments;
repurchase of securities or other financial assets or instruments held with an intermediary;
This Decree-Law does not apply to:
a right to payment evidenced by a negotiable instruments;
a right to payment of funds in credit accounts held with banks,
a right to payment under securities; and a letter of credit or letters of guarantee.
Nothing in this Decree-Law affects the rights and obligations of the Assignor and the Debtor of Receivable under laws governing the protection of parties to transactions made for personal, family or household purposes.
Article (3)
Party Autonomy
Subject to Article 17(2) of this Decree-Law, the Assignor, the Assignee, and the Debtor of Receivable may determine the provisions relating to their respective rights and obligations provided that such agreement does not affect the rights of a third party who is not a party to such agreement.
CHAPTER II
EFFECT OF THE ASSIGNMENT AS BETWEEN THE PARTIES
Article (4)
Validity of the Assignment
An assignment creates an immediately binding contract unless one of the parties reserves to himself the option to rescind it.
An assignment is effective as between the Assignor and Assignee irrespective of whether the Debtor of Receivable has received a Notification of Assignment.
An assignment is considered effective as between the Assignor and the Assignee or as against the Debtor of Receivable or as against a Competing Claimant, and the right of an Assignee may not be denied priority, if the assignment is of more than one Receivable, parts of or undivided interests in a Receivable.
An assignment is effective provided that the assigned Receivables are generally or specifically described in a way which makes them identifiable, this includes describing them as all Existing Receivables or all Future Receivables or a specific category or a specific or generic class of such Receivables.
An assignment of one or more Future Receivables is effective without requiring a new act of transfer to assign each Receivable separately.
Article (5)
Other Contractual Aspects
An assignment may secure one or more obligations whether present or future, determined or determinable, conditional, or unconditional, fixed or fluctuating.
Any restriction on the Assignor's right to assign the Receivables shall be ineffective and it shall not affect its validity or effectiveness. The Debtor of Receivable may invoke any defences and rights of set-off against the Assignee, but the Assignor is not liable for the breach of the provisions that restricted an assignment included in the Original Contract.
Article (6)
Transfer of Supporting Rights
Supporting Rights are transferred to the Assignee without a new act of transfer unless such right, under the law governing it, is only transferable to the Assignee with a new act of transfer, in which case the Assignor is obliged to transfer that right and any Proceeds to the Assignee.
Supporting Rights are transferred under paragraph 1 of this Article notwithstanding any agreement between the Assignor and the Debtor of Receivable or another Person granting that right, limiting in any way the Assignor's right to assign the Receivable or the Supporting Right.
CHAPTER III
Enforceability Towards Third Parties and Priority
Article (7)
Enforceability Towards Third Parties by Publicizing and Priority of Assignees' Rights
The enforceability of assignments towards third parties is determined in accordance with Chapter V of the aforementioned Federal Law No (4) of 2020.
An assignment of a Receivable governed by this Decree-Law may be made enforceable towards third parties only by Publicizing a notice in the Registry.
Enforceability towards third parties and priority of Assignees' rights to Proceeds of assigned Receivables is determined in accordance with Article 11 of the aforementioned Federal Law No (4) of 2020.
Article (8)
Priority Between Competing Claimants
The Provisions of the aforementioned Federal Law No (4) of 2020 shall apply to the following:
Determining the priority of the interest of the Assignees of the same Receivable by the order of Publicizing.
Determining the priority of any obligations of the Assignor incurred after Publicizing and any Future Receivables.
Determining the priority of an assignment as against non-consensual claims, including the rights of a bankruptcy trustee, judgment creditor, debts owed to the State and employees of the Assignor.
CHAPTER IV
RIGHTS, OBLIGATIONS AND DEFENCES OF ASSIGNOR AND ASSIGNEE
Article (9)
Rights and obligations of the Assignor and the Assignee
The mutual rights and obligations of the Assignor and the Assignee arising from their agreement are determined by the terms and conditions set forth in that agreement.
Article (10)
Representation of the Assignor
The agreement providing for the assignment of Receivables may include the following representations and undertakings that the Assignor is deemed to make at the time of assignment:
The Assignor has the authority to assign the Receivable;
The Assignor has not previously assigned the Receivable to another Assignee; and
The Debtor of Receivable is not entitled to raise any defences or rights of set-off subject to Article 16 of this Decree-Law.
The Assignor does not represent that the Debtor of Receivable has, or will have, the ability to pay.
Article (11)
Right to Notify the Debtor
Each of the Assignor or the Assignee may send the Debtor of Receivable Notification of Assignment and payment instructions. In case notification has been received by the Debtor of Receivable only the Assignee may send such instructions.
Notification of Assignment or payment instructions referred to in paragraph (1) of this article sent in breach of any agreement is not ineffective for the purposes of Article (15) of this Decree-Law by reason of such breach. However, nothing in this article affects any obligation or liability of the party in breach of such an agreement for any damages arising as a result of the breach.
Article (12)
Right to Payment
As between the Assignor and the Assignee, whether or not Notification of Assignment has been sent:
If payment in respect of the assigned Receivable is made to the Assignee, the Assignee is entitled to retain the Proceeds and goods returned in respect of the assigned Receivable;
If payment in respect of the assigned Receivable is made to the Assignor, the Assignee is entitled to payment of the Proceeds and also to tangible property returned to the Assignor in respect of the assigned Receivable; and
If payment in respect of the assigned Receivable is made to another Person over whom the Assignee has priority, the Assignee is entitled to payment of the Proceeds and to tangible property returned to such Person in respect of the assigned Receivable.
The Assignee may not retain more than the value of its right in the Receivable.
Article (13)
Protection of the Debtor of the Receivable
Without prejudice to the provisions of this Decree-Law, an assignment does not, without the consent of the Debtor of Receivable, affect its rights and obligations, including the payment terms contained in the Original Contract.
Payment instructions may change the Person, address or account to which the Debtor of Receivable is required to make payment, but may not change any of:
The currency of payment specified in the Original Contract; or
The state specified in the Original Contract in which payment is to be made to a state other than that in which the Debtor of Receivable is located.
Article (14)
Notification of the Debtor of the Receivable
Notification of Assignment or payment instructions are effective when received by the Debtor of Receivable if it is in the language of the Original Contract or a language that is expected to inform the recipient about its contents.
Notification of Assignment or payment instructions may relate to Receivables arising after notification.
In case the same Receivable is assigned successively, Notification of Assignment constitutes notification of all prior assignments.
Article (15)
Discharge of the Debtor of the Receivable by Payment
Until the Debtor of Receivable receives Notification of Assignment, he/she/it is discharged by paying in accordance with the Original Contract.
After the Debtor of Receivable receives Notification of Assignment, subject to this article, it is discharged only by paying the assigned Receivable to the Assignee or, if otherwise instructed in the Notification of Assignment or subsequently by the Assignee in a Writing received by the Debtor of Receivable, in accordance with that payment instruction.
If the Debtor of Receivable receives more than one payment instructions relating to a single assignment of the same Receivable by the same Assignor, it is discharged by paying in accordance with the last payment instruction received from the Assignee before payment.
If the Debtor of Receivable receives several notifications of several assignments of the same Receivable by the same Assignor, it is discharged by paying in accordance with the first notification received.
If the Debtor of Receivable receives notification of one or more subsequent assignments, it is discharged by paying in accordance with the notification of the last of such subsequent assignments.
If the Debtor of Receivable receives Notification of Assignment of a part of or an undivided interest in one or more Receivables, it is discharged either by paying in accordance with the notification or in accordance with this article as if the Debtor of Receivable had not received the notification.
If the Debtor of Receivable pays in accordance with the notification received pursuant to paragraph (6), it is discharged only to the extent of the part or undivided interest paid.
The Debtor of Receivable may, upon receipt of Notification of Assignment from the Assignee, request the Assignee to provide, within seven working days, adequate proof that the assignment from the initial Assignor to the initial Assignee and any other assignments have been made. unless the Assignee does so, the Debtor of Receivable is discharged by paying in accordance with this article as if the notification from the Assignee had not been received. Any Writing emanating from the Assignor and indicating that the assignment has taken place shall be considered as adequate proof of an assignment.
The provisions of this Article does not affect any other ground on which payment by the Debtor of Receivable to the Person entitled to payment, to a competent judicial or other authority, or to a public deposit fund discharges the Debtor of Receivable.
Article (16)
Defenses and Rights of Set-Off of the Debtor of Receivable
In a claim by the Assignee against the Debtor of Receivable for payment of the assigned Receivable, the Debtor of Receivable may raise against the Assignee the following:
All defenses and rights of set-off arising from the Original Contract, or any other contract that was part of the same transaction, of which the Debtor of Receivable could avail itself as if the assignment had not been made and such claim were made by the Assignor; and
Any other right of set-off that was available to the Debtor of Receivable at the time it received Notification of Assignment.
Article (17)
Agreement not to Raise Defenses or Rights of Set-Off
The Debtor of Receivable may agree with the Assignor in a Writing not to raise against the Assignee the defenses and rights of set-off that it could raise pursuant to Article 16 of this Decree-Law.
The Debtor of Receivable may not waive defenses:
that arise from fraudulent acts of the Assignee; or
based on its own incapacity.
The Debtor of Receivable may modify the waiver only in Writing. The effect of such a modification as against the Assignee is determined by Article 18(2) of this Decree-Law.
Article (18)
Modification of the Original Contract
An agreement concluded before Notification of Assignment between the Assignor and the Debtor of Receivable that affects the Assignee's rights is effective as against the Assignee, and the Assignee acquires corresponding rights.
An agreement concluded after Notification of Assignment is ineffective as against the Assignee unless:
The Assignee consents to it; or
it pertains to Future Receivables.
Paragraphs 1 and 2 of this Article do not affect any right of the Assignor or the Assignee arising from breach of an agreement between them.
Article (19)
Recovery of payments
Failure of the Assignor to perform the Original Contract does not entitle the Debtor of Receivable to recover from the Assignee a sum that it paid to the Assignor or the Assignee.
Article (20)
Collection of the Receivable
Under an assignment in the form of a security interest or concluded as security
Upon default of the Assignor, the Assignee is entitled to collect payments from the Debtor of Receivable subject to Chapter IV of this Decree-Law.
Before default of the Assignor, the Assignee may exercise the right to collect if the Assignor consents.
Under an outright transfer of a Receivable, the Assignee is entitled to collect the Receivable at any time after payment becomes due.
The Assignee exercising the right to collect under this Article is also entitled to enforce any Supporting Right.
Article (21)
Disposal
The Assignee may enforce its rights in a Receivable by any other means agreed to in the contract of assignment or pursuant to Chapters VII and VIII of the aforementioned Federal Law No (4) of 2020.
CHAPTER V
LAWS APPLICABLE TO ASSIGNMENT OF RECEIVABLE
Article (22)
Law Applicable to Assignment of Receivable
The law applicable to the creation, enforceability toward third parties, priority, and enforcement of the assignment of a Receivable and its Proceeds is determined in accordance with Article 42 of the aforementioned Federal Law No (4) of 2020.
The law governing the rights and obligations between a Debtor of Receivable and the Assignor is the law applicable to:
The rights and obligations between the Assignee and the Debtor of Receivable;
The conditions under which the assignment may be invoked against the Debtor of Receivable, including whether an agreement limiting the Assignor's right to assign a Receivable may be asserted by the Debtor of Receivable; and
The extent to which obligations of the Debtor of Receivable have been discharged.
Article (23)
Application of other Laws
The provisions of the aforementioned Federal Law No (4) of 2020 shall apply to assignments of Receivables covered by this Decree-Law.
CHAPTER VI
FINAL PROVISIONS
Article (24)
Previous Transactions and Updating the Status
An Assignee may, without the Assignor's authorization, Publicize an assignment which arose out of any transaction concluded prior to the entry into force of this Decree-Law by registration in the Registry. Publicizing shall occur within a period of six months as of the date of the entry into force of this Decree-Law.
The priority of the assignment publicized within the period prescribed in paragraph (1) of this Article shall be determined as of the date on which the assignment became enforceable towards third parties according to the law under which it arose; otherwise, such assignment shall be enforceable towards third parties as of the date of Publicizing.
Article (25)
Regulatory Matters
Factoring in the State may only be exercised after a license is obtained from the Central Bank of the United Arab Emirates according to the conditions and provisions issued by the Central Bank.
Article (26)
Repealed Legislation
Any provision that violates or contradicts the provisions of this Decree-Law shall be repealed.
Article (27)
Publication of the Decree-Law and its Coming into Effect
This Decree-Law shall be published in the Official Gazette and shall come into effect upon the lapse of 90 days as of the date of its publication.
Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan
President of the United Arab Emirates
Issued by Us in the Presidential Palace in Abu Dhabi:
On: 29th of August 2021
20th Moharram 1443 H
طبع بالمطبعة العصرية ومكتبتها
Fatwa, Legislation and State Cases Sector
Sector of Legal Opinion and Legislation and State Cases
Federal Decree-Laws
Federal Decree-Law No. (16) of 2021
On Factoring and Assignment of Receivables
Decrees of federal laws
Federal Decree Law No. (16) for the year 2021
On Factoring & Assignment of Receivables
Federal Decree-Laws
• Federal Decree-Law No. (16) of 2021 On Factoring and Assignment of Receivables
Decrees of federal laws
• Federal Decree Law No. (16) for the year 2021 On factoring & Assignment of Receivables
• The approved Arabic version was published in the Official Gazette No. (711) dated September 9, 2021
• The approved Arabic versions has been published Official Gazette no. (711) dated 9 September 2021
Federal Decree-Laws
Federal Decree-Law No. (16) of 2021
On Factoring and Assignment of Receivables
We, Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan
President of the United Arab Emirates
Having reviewed the Constitution,
And Federal Law No. (1) of 1972 regarding the Competencies of Ministries and Powers of Ministers, and its amendments,
And Federal Law No. (3) of 1983 regarding the Federal Judiciary Authority, and its amendments,
And Federal Law No. (5) of 1985 promulgating the Civil Transactions Law, and its amendments,
And Federal Law No. (11) of 1992 promulgating the Civil Procedures Law, and its amendments,
And Federal Law No. (10) of 1993 promulgating the Law of Evidence in Civil and Commercial Transactions, and its amendments,
And Federal Law No. (18) of 1993 regarding the Commercial Transactions Law, and its amendments,
And Federal Law No. (4) of 2000 regarding the Emirates Securities and Commodities Authority and Market, and its amendments,
And Federal Law No. (8) of 2004 regarding Financial Free Zones,
And Federal Law No. (1) of 2006 regarding Electronic Transactions and Commerce, and its amendments,
And Federal Law No. (2) of 2015 regarding Commercial Companies, and its amendments,
And Federal Decree-Law No. (9) of 2016 regarding Bankruptcy, and its amendments,
And Federal Law No. (7) of 2017 regarding Tax Procedures, and its amendments,
And Federal Decree-Law No. (10) of 2018 regarding Netting,
And Federal Decree-Law No. (14) of 2018 regarding the Central Bank & Organization of Financial Institutions and Activities, and its amendments,
And Federal Decree-Law No. (19) of 2019 regarding Insolvency,
And Federal Law No. (4) of 2020 regarding Securing Rights in Movable Property,
And based on the proposal of the Minister of Finance and the approval of the Cabinet,
We have issued the following Decree-Law:
Chapter One
Definitions and Scope of Application
Article (1)
Definitions
For the purposes of this Decree-Law, the following words and phrases shall have the meanings assigned to each of them, unless the context otherwise requires:
The State: The United Arab Emirates.
The Ministry: Ministry of Finance.
The Minister: Minister of Finance.
Person: A natural or legal person.
Factoring: A transaction whereby an assignor assigns an existing or future receivable, or both, to an assignee, or agrees that the assignee will maintain records related to the assigned receivable, collect it, and provide protection to the assignee in case the debtor of the receivable defaults on payment.
Assignment: The agreement by which the assignor's contractual rights to receive a sum of money from the debtor of the receivable are transferred to the assignee. The assignment includes the agreement to create a security right over the receivable, its assignment as security, and its outright sale.
Assignor: The person who has assigned the receivable to the assignee.
Assignee: The person to whom the receivable has been assigned.
Competing Claimant: Includes:
- Another assignee to whom the assignor has assigned the same receivable, including a person who claims a right granted to them by law in the assigned receivable due to their right in other assets of the assignor.
- A creditor of the assignor.
- A bankruptcy trustee.
Receivable: The contractual right to receive sums of money owed to the assignor from the debtor of the receivable.
Debtor of the Receivable: The person liable to pay the assigned receivable.
Existing Receivable: A receivable that arose before or at the time of the conclusion of the assignment contract.
Future Receivable: A receivable arising after the conclusion of the assignment contract.
Notice of Assignment: A written notice that identifies the assigned receivable and the assignee.
Original Contract: The contract concluded between the assignor and the debtor of the receivable under which the receivable arose.
Proceeds: Everything collected from the assigned receivable, whether in whole or in part, and includes everything collected in the form of proceeds, but does not include returned goods.
Publicity: The registration relating to an assignment of a receivable in the Registry, or any amendment or cancellation thereof, in accordance with the provisions of the aforementioned Federal Law No. (4) of 2020.
The Registry: The electronic registry designated for publicizing rights in movable property.
Ancillary Rights: Any personal or real rights that secure the payment of the value of the assigned receivable, including security rights created over goods, guarantees, and credit insurance.
Writing: Information that is created, transmitted, received, or stored in writing or by electronic means, including modern communication methods.
Article (2)
Scope of Application
- The provisions of this Decree-Law shall apply to any assignment made in the context of commercial or civil transactions, even if made through a regulated financial market, and whether with or without recourse to the assignor.
- Assignments of receivables arising from the following are excluded from the application of the provisions of this Decree-Law:
- Transactions conducted by a person for their personal, family, or household purposes.
- Financial contracts governed by netting agreements.
- Foreign exchange transactions.
- Inter-bank payment systems and agreements, netting systems, and settlement related to securities or other financial assets or instruments.
- Repurchase of securities or financial assets or instruments deposited with an intermediary.
- The following are also excluded from the application of the provisions of this Decree-Law:
- The right to payments evidenced by negotiable instruments.
- The right to payments deposited in credit accounts with banks.
- The right to payments under securities, letters of credit, and letters of guarantee.
- Nothing in this Decree-Law shall affect the rights and obligations of the assignor and the debtor of the receivable under the laws governing the protection of parties in transactions made for personal, family, or household purposes.
Article (3)
Will of the Parties
Subject to the provisions of Clause (2) of Article (17) of this Decree-Law, the assignor, the assignee, and the debtor of the receivable may agree to define the provisions governing their respective rights and duties, provided that this agreement does not prejudice the rights of a third party who was not a party to this agreement.
Chapter Two
Effect of the Assignment between the Parties
Article (4)
Validity of the Assignment
- An assignment is considered a binding contract upon its conclusion unless one of the parties reserves the option to rescind it.
- An assignment is effective between the assignor and the assignee even if the debtor of the receivable has not received a notice of assignment.
- An assignment is effective between the assignor and the assignee and against the debtor of the receivable and the competing claimant, and the assignee retains the right of priority even if the assignment relates to more than one receivable or to fractional or undivided rights in a receivable.
- An assignment is effective provided that the receivables subject to the assignment are described in a general or specific manner that allows for their identification, including describing them as all of the assignor's existing receivables, all of the assignor's future receivables, or a specific or general category or type of such receivables.
- An assignment made on one or more future receivables is effective without the need to enter into any new transaction to transfer each one separately.
Article (5)
Other Contractual Aspects
- An assignment secures one or more obligations, whether present or future, determined or determinable, conditional or unconditional, fixed or variable.
- Any restriction on the assignor's right to assign receivables shall not be considered and shall not affect the validity or enforceability of the assignment. The debtor of the receivable may assert any defences or rights of set-off against the assignee, and the assignor shall not be liable for breaching the provisions that restricted the assignment contained in the original contract.
Article (6)
Transfer of Ancillary Rights
- Ancillary rights are transferred to the assignee without taking a new action for their transfer, unless the law establishing the right requires the assignor to take a new action for the purpose of transferring the right to the assignee, in which case the assignor is obliged to transfer that right and any proceeds to the assignee.
- Ancillary rights are transferred in accordance with the provisions of Clause (1) of this Article, even if there is an agreement between the assignor and the debtor of the receivable or any other person who created those rights that restricts the assignor's right to assign the receivable or the ancillary right in any way.
Chapter Three
Enforceability against Third Parties and Priority
Article (7)
Enforceability against Third Parties by Publicity and Priority of Assignees' Rights
- The enforceability of assignments against third parties is subject to the provisions of Chapter Five of the aforementioned Federal Law No. (4) of 2020.
- An assignment of receivables subject to the provisions of this Decree-Law shall not be enforceable against third parties unless it is publicized in the Registry.
- The provisions of enforceability against third parties and the priority of assignees' rights over the proceeds of the assigned receivable shall be determined in accordance with Article (11) of the aforementioned Federal Law No. (4) of 2020.
Article (8)
Priority among Competing Claimants
The provisions of the aforementioned Federal Law No. (4) of 2020 shall apply to the following:
- Determining the priority of assignees' rights over the receivable according to the priority in publicity.
- Determining the priority of obligations of the assignor that arise after publicity and on the future receivable.
- Determining the priority of the assignment against non-contractual rights, including the rights of the bankruptcy trustee, judgment creditors, and debts due to the State and the assignor's employees.
Chapter Four
Rights, Obligations, and Defences of the Assignor and Assignee
Article (9)
Rights and Obligations of the Assignor and Assignee
The mutual rights and obligations of the assignor and the assignee arising from their agreement are subject to the terms and conditions contained in that agreement.
Article (10)
Assignor's Representation
- The assignment of receivables agreement may include the following representations and undertakings from the assignor upon completion of the assignment:
- That they have the authority to assign the receivable.
- That they have not previously assigned the receivable to another assignee.
- That the debtor of the receivable has no right to raise any defences or set-off, subject to the provisions of Article (16) of this Decree-Law.
- The assignor does not guarantee the ability of the debtor of the receivable to pay, whether now or in the future.
Article (11)
Right to Notify the Debtor
- Both the assignor and the assignee have the right to send a notice and payment instructions to the debtor of the receivable. If the debtor of the receivable receives the notice, the right to issue payment instructions is limited to the assignee.
- A notice of assignment or payment instructions sent in accordance with the provisions of Clause (1) of this Article shall be effective for the purposes of Article (15) of this Decree-Law, even if sending it constitutes a breach of an agreement, provided that this does not prejudice any obligation or liability of the breaching party for any damages arising from this breach.
Article (12)
Right of Collection
- The rights of the assignor and the assignee, whether a notice of assignment has been sent or not, shall be determined as follows:
- If the assigned receivable is paid to the assignee, the assignee is entitled to retain the proceeds and returned goods related to the assigned receivable.
- If the assigned receivable is paid to the assignor, the assignee is entitled to receive the proceeds and tangible movable property related to the assigned receivable that have been returned to the assignor.
- If the assigned receivable is paid to another person with a lower priority than the assignee, the assignee is entitled to receive the proceeds and tangible movable property returned to this person related to the assigned receivable.
- The assignee is not entitled to collect more than their rights in the receivable.
Article (13)
Protection of the Debtor of the Receivable
- Without prejudice to the provisions of this Decree-Law, the assignment does not affect the rights and obligations of the debtor of the receivable, including the payment terms contained in the original contract, unless they agree to it.
- Payment instructions may include a change in the person, address, or account to which the debtor of the receivable must pay. In all cases, the change may not include any of the following:
- The currency specified in the original contract in which payment must be made.
- The state specified in the original contract in which payment must be made, to become another state where the debtor of the receivable is not located.
Article (14)
Notice to the Debtor of the Receivable
- A notice of assignment or payment instructions shall be effective upon receipt by the debtor of the receivable if they are written in the language of the original contract or in another language that the recipient of the notice is expected to know.
- A notice of assignment or payment instructions may relate to a receivable that arises after the notice is sent.
- If the same receivable is assigned successively, a notice of a subsequent assignment is considered a notice for all previous assignments.
Article (15)
Discharge of the Debtor of the Receivable by Payment
- If the debtor of the receivable makes payment in accordance with the terms of the original contract before receiving a notice of assignment, their debt is discharged.
- Without prejudice to the provisions of this Article, after the debtor of the receivable receives a notice of assignment, their debt is not discharged except by paying the assigned receivable to the assignee or in accordance with the payment instructions contained in the notice of assignment or in a subsequent written notice sent from the assignee to the debtor of the receivable.
- If the debtor of the receivable receives more than one payment instruction related to the assignment of the same receivable from the same assignor, their debt is discharged if they make payment in accordance with the last payment instruction received from the assignee before making the payment.
- If the debtor of the receivable receives several notices related to several assignments of the same receivable from the same assignor, their debt is discharged if they pay the receivable in accordance with the first notice received.
- If the debtor of the receivable receives a notice relating to one or more subsequent assignments, their debt is discharged if they make payment in accordance with the notice relating to the last of those subsequent assignments.
- If the debtor of the receivable receives a notice of assignment relating to a part or an undivided right in one or more receivables, their debt is discharged if they pay in accordance with the notice of assignment or in accordance with the provisions of this Article as if the debtor of the receivable had not received the notice.
- If the debtor of the receivable pays in accordance with the notice provided for in Clause (6) of this Article, their debt is discharged to the extent of the part or undivided right they have paid.
- The debtor of the receivable, upon receiving a notice of assignment from the assignee, is entitled to request the assignee to provide, within (7) seven working days, proof that the assignment between the first assignor and the first assignee and any other assignments have been made. If the assignee fails to do so, the debtor of the receivable is considered discharged of their debt when they make payment in accordance with the provisions of this Article as if they had not received the notice from the assignee. Any writing issued by the assignor is considered sufficient proof of the existence of the assignment.
- The provisions of this Article do not affect any other reason for discharging the debt of the debtor of the receivable as a result of their payment to any person entitled to it, or to a competent judicial authority or other competent authority.
Article (16)
Defences and Right of Set-Off of the Debtor of the Receivable
If the assignee files a lawsuit against the debtor of the receivable to claim the assigned receivable, the debtor of the receivable is entitled to assert the following against the assignee:
- All defences and rights of set-off arising from the original contract, or any other contract that is part of the same transaction, which the debtor of the receivable could have used as if the assignment had not taken place and the claim had been made by the assignor.
- Any other right of set-off available to the debtor of the receivable at the time they received the notice of assignment.
Article (17)
Agreement Not to Raise Defences or Rights of Set-Off
- The debtor of the receivable may agree in writing with the assignor to waive their right to raise any defences or assert the right of set-off granted to them under Article (16) of this Decree-Law against the assignee.
- The debtor of the receivable may not waive the following defences:
- Defences arising from fraudulent acts committed by the assignee.
- Any defences related to the lack of capacity of the debtor of the receivable.
- The debtor of the receivable may amend the waiver, provided that the amendment is in writing, and the effect of this amendment on the assignee is subject to the provisions of Clause (2) of Article (18) of this Decree-Law.
Article (18)
Modification of the Original Contract
- An agreement concluded by the assignor with the debtor of the receivable before the notice of assignment that affects the assignee's rights is effective against them and grants them the rights arising from that agreement.
- An agreement concluded by the assignor with the debtor of the receivable after the notice of assignment is not effective except in the following two cases:
- The assignee's consent.
- If the assignment relates to future receivables.
- The application of Clauses (1) and (2) of this Article shall not prejudice any right of the assignor or the assignee arising from a breach of the agreement concluded between them.
Article (19)
Recovery of Payments
The debtor of the receivable is not entitled to claim from the assignee the recovery of what they have paid to them or to claim from the assignor if the assignor breaches their obligations under the original contract.
Article (20)
Collection of the Receivable
- If the assignment takes the form of a security right created over the receivable or is made as security:
- Upon a default by the assignor, the assignee has the right to collect payments from the debtor of the receivable in accordance with the provisions of this Article and Article (21) of this Decree-Law.
- Before the assignor's default, the assignee may exercise their right of collection if the assignor agrees.
- In the case of the sale of the receivable, the assignee is authorized to collect the receivable at any time after it becomes due.
- An assignee who exercises the right of collection under this Article is entitled to enforce against any of the ancillary rights.
Article (21)
Disposition
The assignee may realize their rights in the receivable by any means agreed upon in the assignment contract or under Chapters Seven and Eight of the aforementioned Federal Law No. (4) of 2020.
Chapter Five
Applicable Laws for the Assignment of Receivables
Article (22)
Applicable Law for the Assignment of Receivables
- The applicable law for the creation of an assignment of receivables, its enforceability against third parties, priority, and enforcement of the assignment of receivables and proceeds shall be determined in accordance with Article (42) of the aforementioned Federal Law No. (4) of 2020.
- The following matters shall be governed by the law governing the rights and obligations between the debtor and the assignor:
- The rights and obligations of the assignee and the debtor of the receivable.
- The cases in which the assignment may be asserted against the debtor of the receivable, including the possibility of the debtor of the receivable relying on an agreement that restricts the assignor's right to assign the receivable.
- The extent to which the debtor of the receivable has fulfilled their obligations.
Article (23)
Application of Other Laws
The provisions of the aforementioned Federal Law No. (4) of 2020 shall apply to the assignment of receivables regulated in this Decree-Law, insofar as they do not conflict with its provisions.
Chapter Six
Final Provisions
Article (24)
Prior Transactions and Reconciliation of Status
- The assignee may publicize an assignment that arose from any transaction concluded before the date of entry into force of the provisions of this Decree-Law by registering it in the Registry without obtaining the consent of the assignor, within (6) six months from the date of entry into force of the provisions of this Decree-Law.
- The priority of an assignment that has been publicized during the period specified in Clause (1) of this Article shall be determined from the date of its enforceability against third parties in accordance with the provisions of the laws under which it arose; otherwise, it shall become enforceable against third parties from the date of its publicity in the Registry.
Article (25)
Regulatory Aspects
The activity of factoring may not be practiced in the State except after obtaining a license for it from the Central Bank, and in accordance with the terms and conditions issued by a decision of the Bank.
Article (26)
Repeal of Legislations
Any provision that violates or contradicts the provisions of this Decree-Law is hereby repealed.
Article (27)
Publication and Entry into Force of the Decree-Law
This Decree-Law shall be published in the Official Gazette and shall come into force (90) days after the date of its publication.
Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan
President of the United Arab Emirates
Issued by us at the Presidential Palace in Abu Dhabi:
Date: 20 / Muharram / 1443 H
Corresponding to: 29 / August / 2021 AD
Federal Decree-Law No (16) For the Year 2021
On Factoring & Assignment of Receivables
WE KHALIFA BIN ZAYED AL NAHYAN, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED ARAB EMIRATES,
PURSUANT TO THE PERUSAL OF THE CONSTITUTION,
FEDERAL LAW NO. (1) OF 1972 ON THE COMPETENCIES OF THE MINISTRIES AND POWERS OF THE MINISTERS AND ITS AMENDMENTS;
FEDERAL LAW NO. (3) OF 1983 ON THE FEDERAL JUDICIAL AUTHORITY AND ITS AMENDMENTS;
CIVIL TRANSACTIONS LAW PROMULGATED BY FEDERAL LAW NO. (5) OF 1985 AND ITS AMENDMENTS;
CIVIL PROCEDURE LAW PROMULGATED BY FEDERAL LAW NO. (11) OF 1992 AND ITS AMENDMENTS;
LAW OF EVIDENCE IN CIVIL AND COMMERCIAL TRANSACTIONS PROMULGATED BY FEDERAL LAW NO. (10) OF 1993 AND ITS AMENDMENTS;
COMMERCIAL TRANSACTIONS LAW PROMULGATED BY FEDERAL LAW NO. (18) OF 1993;
FEDERAL LAW NO (4) OF 2000 ON THE EMIRATES SECURITIES AND COMMODITIES AUTHORITY AND ITS AMENDMENTS;
FEDERAL LAW NO. (8) OF 2004 ON FINANCIAL FREE ZONES;
FEDERAL LAW NO. (1) OF 2006 ON ELECTRONIC COMMERCE AND TRANSACTIONS AND ITS AMENDMENTS;
FEDERAL LAW NO. (2) OF 2015 ON COMMERCIAL COMPANIES AND ITS AMENDMENTS;
FEDERAL DECREE-LAW NO. (9) OF 2016 ON BANKRUPTCY AND ITS AMENDMENTS;
FEDERAL LAW NO. (7) OF 2017 ON TAX PROCEDURES AND ITS AMENDMENTS;
FEDERAL DECREE-LAW NO. (10) OF 2018 OF NET OFF-SET;
FEDERAL DECREE-LAW NO. (14) OF 2018 ON CENTRAL BANK AND ORGANIZING FINANCIAL ESTABLISHMENTS AND ACTIVITIES;
AND FEDERAL DECREE-LAW NO. (19) OF 2019 ON THE INSOLVENCY;
AND FEDERAL DECREE-LAW NO. (4) OF 2020 ON SECURING INTEREST WITH MOVABLE PROPERTY;
UPON THE PROPOSAL OF THE MINISTER OF FINANCE AND THE APPROVAL OF THE COUNCIL OF MINISTERS,
HAVE ISSUED THE FOLLOWING DECREE-LAW:
CHAPTER I
DEFINITIONS & SCOPE OF APPLICATION
Article (1)
Definitions
In the application of this Decree-Law, the following terms and expressions shall have the meaning set herein unless the context specifies otherwise:
| State: | United Arab Emirates. |
| Ministry: | The Ministry of Finance. |
| Minister: | The Minister of Finance. |
| Person | Any natural or legal person. |
| Factoring: | A transaction pursuant to which the Assignor transfers to the Assignee existing or future receivables, or both or agree that the Assignee maintains the records relating to Receivable assigned, collects the receivable, and provides protection to the Assignee against the Debtor of Receivable default in payment. |
| Assignment: | The transfer by agreement of the Assignor's contractual rights to payment of a monetary sum owed by a Debtor of Receivable. Assignment includes the creation of a security interest over a Receivable, assignment thereof as security, and an outright sale of a Receivable. |
| Assignor: | The Person that has assigned the Receivable to an Assignee. |
| Assignee: | The Person to whom the Receivable has been assigned. |
| Competing Claimant: | Includes:-
|
| Receivable: | A contractual right to payment of a monetary sum due to the Assignor from the Debtor of Receivable. |
| Debtor of Receivable: | A Person that owes payment of an assigned Receivable. |
| Existing Receivable: | A Receivable that arises upon or before conclusion of the contract of assignment. |
| Future Receivable: | A Receivable that arises after conclusion of the contract of assignment. |
| Notification of Assignment: | A communication in Writing that identifies the assigned Receivables and the Assignee. |
| Original Contract: | The contract entered into between the Assignor and the Debtor of Receivable from which the assigned Receivable arises. |
| Proceeds: | Whatever is received in respect of an assigned Receivable, whether totally or partially. The term includes whatever is received in respect of proceeds. The term does not include returned goods. |
| Publicizing: | Registration with respect to an assignment of a Receivable in the Registry, including registration of any amendment or cancellation as prescribed in aforementioned Federal Law No (4) of 2020. |
| Registry: | The electronic registry established for the purpose of Publicizing interests in movable property. |
| Supporting Rights: | Any personal or property right securing payment of the assigned Receivable, including a security interest in the goods, a guarantee, and credit insurance. |
| Writing: | Includes creation, transmission, receipt, or storage of information by electronic means, including by modern telecommunication means. |
Article (2)
Scope of Application
This Decree-Law shall apply to any assignment in the framework of commercial or civil transactions, whether or not made on a regulated exchange, with or without recourse against the Assignor.
This Decree-Law does not apply to assignments of Receivables arising under or from:
a transaction made by an individual for his or her personal, family or household purposes;
financial contracts governed by netting agreements;
foreign exchange transactions;
inter-bank payment systems, inter-bank payment agreements or clearance and net clearing/settlement systems relating to securities or other financial assets or instruments;
repurchase of securities or other financial assets or instruments held with an intermediary;
This Decree-Law does not apply to:
a right to payment evidenced by a negotiable instruments;
a right to payment of funds in credit accounts held with banks,
a right to payment under securities; and a letter of credit or letters of guarantee.
Nothing in this Decree-Law affects the rights and obligations of the Assignor and the Debtor of Receivable under laws governing the protection of parties to transactions made for personal, family or household purposes.
Article (3)
Party Autonomy
Subject to Article 17(2) of this Decree-Law, the Assignor, the Assignee, and the Debtor of Receivable may determine the provisions relating to their respective rights and obligations provided that such agreement does not affect the rights of a third party who is not a party to such agreement.
CHAPTER II
EFFECT OF THE ASSIGNMENT AS BETWEEN THE PARTIES
Article (4)
Validity of the Assignment
An assignment creates an immediately binding contract unless one of the parties reserves to himself the option to rescind it.
An assignment is effective as between the Assignor and Assignee irrespective of whether the Debtor of Receivable has received a Notification of Assignment.
An assignment is considered effective as between the Assignor and the Assignee or as against the Debtor of Receivable or as against a Competing Claimant, and the right of an Assignee may not be denied priority, if the assignment is of more than one Receivable, parts of or undivided interests in a Receivable.
An assignment is effective provided that the assigned Receivables are generally or specifically described in a way which makes them identifiable, this includes describing them as all Existing Receivables or all Future Receivables or a specific category or a specific or generic class of such Receivables.
An assignment of one or more Future Receivables is effective without requiring a new act of transfer to assign each Receivable separately.
Article (5)
Other Contractual Aspects
An assignment may secure one or more obligations whether present or future, determined or determinable, conditional, or unconditional, fixed or fluctuating.
Any restriction on the Assignor's right to assign the Receivables shall be ineffective and it shall not affect its validity or effectiveness. The Debtor of Receivable may invoke any defences and rights of set-off against the Assignee, but the Assignor is not liable for the breach of the provisions that restricted an assignment included in the Original Contract.
Article (6)
Transfer of Supporting Rights
Supporting Rights are transferred to the Assignee without a new act of transfer unless such right, under the law governing it, is only transferable to the Assignee with a new act of transfer, in which case the Assignor is obliged to transfer that right and any Proceeds to the Assignee.
Supporting Rights are transferred under paragraph 1 of this Article notwithstanding any agreement between the Assignor and the Debtor of Receivable or another Person granting that right, limiting in any way the Assignor's right to assign the Receivable or the Supporting Right.
CHAPTER III
Enforceability Towards Third Parties and Priority
Article (7)
Enforceability Towards Third Parties by Publicizing and Priority of Assignees' Rights
The enforceability of assignments towards third parties is determined in accordance with Chapter V of the aforementioned Federal Law No (4) of 2020.
An assignment of a Receivable governed by this Decree-Law may be made enforceable towards third parties only by Publicizing a notice in the Registry.
Enforceability towards third parties and priority of Assignees' rights to Proceeds of assigned Receivables is determined in accordance with Article 11 of the aforementioned Federal Law No (4) of 2020.
Article (8)
Priority Between Competing Claimants
The Provisions of the aforementioned Federal Law No (4) of 2020 shall apply to the following:
Determining the priority of the interest of the Assignees of the same Receivable by the order of Publicizing.
Determining the priority of any obligations of the Assignor incurred after Publicizing and any Future Receivables.
Determining the priority of an assignment as against non-consensual claims, including the rights of a bankruptcy trustee, judgment creditor, debts owed to the State and employees of the Assignor.
CHAPTER IV
RIGHTS, OBLIGATIONS AND DEFENCES OF ASSIGNOR AND ASSIGNEE
Article (9)
Rights and obligations of the Assignor and the Assignee
The mutual rights and obligations of the Assignor and the Assignee arising from their agreement are determined by the terms and conditions set forth in that agreement.
Article (10)
Representation of the Assignor
The agreement providing for the assignment of Receivables may include the following representations and undertakings that the Assignor is deemed to make at the time of assignment:
The Assignor has the authority to assign the Receivable;
The Assignor has not previously assigned the Receivable to another Assignee; and
The Debtor of Receivable is not entitled to raise any defences or rights of set-off subject to Article 16 of this Decree-Law.
The Assignor does not represent that the Debtor of Receivable has, or will have, the ability to pay.
Article (11)
Right to Notify the Debtor
Each of the Assignor or the Assignee may send the Debtor of Receivable Notification of Assignment and payment instructions. In case notification has been received by the Debtor of Receivable only the Assignee may send such instructions.
Notification of Assignment or payment instructions referred to in paragraph (1) of this article sent in breach of any agreement is not ineffective for the purposes of Article (15) of this Decree-Law by reason of such breach. However, nothing in this article affects any obligation or liability of the party in breach of such an agreement for any damages arising as a result of the breach.
Article (12)
Right to Payment
As between the Assignor and the Assignee, whether or not Notification of Assignment has been sent:
If payment in respect of the assigned Receivable is made to the Assignee, the Assignee is entitled to retain the Proceeds and goods returned in respect of the assigned Receivable;
If payment in respect of the assigned Receivable is made to the Assignor, the Assignee is entitled to payment of the Proceeds and also to tangible property returned to the Assignor in respect of the assigned Receivable; and
If payment in respect of the assigned Receivable is made to another Person over whom the Assignee has priority, the Assignee is entitled to payment of the Proceeds and to tangible property returned to such Person in respect of the assigned Receivable.
The Assignee may not retain more than the value of its right in the Receivable.
Article (13)
Protection of the Debtor of the Receivable
Without prejudice to the provisions of this Decree-Law, an assignment does not, without the consent of the Debtor of Receivable, affect its rights and obligations, including the payment terms contained in the Original Contract.
Payment instructions may change the Person, address or account to which the Debtor of Receivable is required to make payment, but may not change any of:
The currency of payment specified in the Original Contract; or
The state specified in the Original Contract in which payment is to be made to a state other than that in which the Debtor of Receivable is located.
Article (14)
Notification of the Debtor of the Receivable
Notification of Assignment or payment instructions are effective when received by the Debtor of Receivable if it is in the language of the Original Contract or a language that is expected to inform the recipient about its contents.
Notification of Assignment or payment instructions may relate to Receivables arising after notification.
In case the same Receivable is assigned successively, Notification of Assignment constitutes notification of all prior assignments.
Article (15)
Discharge of the Debtor of the Receivable by Payment
Until the Debtor of Receivable receives Notification of Assignment, he/she/it is discharged by paying in accordance with the Original Contract.
After the Debtor of Receivable receives Notification of Assignment, subject to this article, it is discharged only by paying the assigned Receivable to the Assignee or, if otherwise instructed in the Notification of Assignment or subsequently by the Assignee in a Writing received by the Debtor of Receivable, in accordance with that payment instruction.
If the Debtor of Receivable receives more than one payment instructions relating to a single assignment of the same Receivable by the same Assignor, it is discharged by paying in accordance with the last payment instruction received from the Assignee before payment.
If the Debtor of Receivable receives several notifications of several assignments of the same Receivable by the same Assignor, it is discharged by paying in accordance with the first notification received.
If the Debtor of Receivable receives notification of one or more subsequent assignments, it is discharged by paying in accordance with the notification of the last of such subsequent assignments.
If the Debtor of Receivable receives Notification of Assignment of a part of or an undivided interest in one or more Receivables, it is discharged either by paying in accordance with the notification or in accordance with this article as if the Debtor of Receivable had not received the notification.
If the Debtor of Receivable pays in accordance with the notification received pursuant to paragraph (6), it is discharged only to the extent of the part or undivided interest paid.
The Debtor of Receivable may, upon receipt of Notification of Assignment from the Assignee, request the Assignee to provide, within seven working days, adequate proof that the assignment from the initial Assignor to the initial Assignee and any other assignments have been made. unless the Assignee does so, the Debtor of Receivable is discharged by paying in accordance with this article as if the notification from the Assignee had not been received. Any Writing emanating from the Assignor and indicating that the assignment has taken place shall be considered as adequate proof of an assignment.
The provisions of this Article does not affect any other ground on which payment by the Debtor of Receivable to the Person entitled to payment, to a competent judicial or other authority, or to a public deposit fund discharges the Debtor of Receivable.
Article (16)
Defenses and Rights of Set-Off of the Debtor of Receivable
In a claim by the Assignee against the Debtor of Receivable for payment of the assigned Receivable, the Debtor of Receivable may raise against the Assignee the following:
All defenses and rights of set-off arising from the Original Contract, or any other contract that was part of the same transaction, of which the Debtor of Receivable could avail itself as if the assignment had not been made and such claim were made by the Assignor; and
Any other right of set-off that was available to the Debtor of Receivable at the time it received Notification of Assignment.
Article (17)
Agreement not to Raise Defenses or Rights of Set-Off
The Debtor of Receivable may agree with the Assignor in a Writing not to raise against the Assignee the defenses and rights of set-off that it could raise pursuant to Article 16 of this Decree-Law.
The Debtor of Receivable may not waive defenses:
that arise from fraudulent acts of the Assignee; or
based on its own incapacity.
The Debtor of Receivable may modify the waiver only in Writing. The effect of such a modification as against the Assignee is determined by Article 18(2) of this Decree-Law.
Article (18)
Modification of the Original Contract
An agreement concluded before Notification of Assignment between the Assignor and the Debtor of Receivable that affects the Assignee's rights is effective as against the Assignee, and the Assignee acquires corresponding rights.
An agreement concluded after Notification of Assignment is ineffective as against the Assignee unless:
The Assignee consents to it; or
it pertains to Future Receivables.
Paragraphs 1 and 2 of this Article do not affect any right of the Assignor or the Assignee arising from breach of an agreement between them.
Article (19)
Recovery of payments
Failure of the Assignor to perform the Original Contract does not entitle the Debtor of Receivable to recover from the Assignee a sum that it paid to the Assignor or the Assignee.
Article (20)
Collection of the Receivable
Under an assignment in the form of a security interest or concluded as security
Upon default of the Assignor, the Assignee is entitled to collect payments from the Debtor of Receivable subject to Chapter IV of this Decree-Law.
Before default of the Assignor, the Assignee may exercise the right to collect if the Assignor consents.
Under an outright transfer of a Receivable, the Assignee is entitled to collect the Receivable at any time after payment becomes due.
The Assignee exercising the right to collect under this Article is also entitled to enforce any Supporting Right.
Article (21)
Disposal
The Assignee may enforce its rights in a Receivable by any other means agreed to in the contract of assignment or pursuant to Chapters VII and VIII of the aforementioned Federal Law No (4) of 2020.
CHAPTER V
LAWS APPLICABLE TO ASSIGNMENT OF RECEIVABLE
Article (22)
Law Applicable to Assignment of Receivable
The law applicable to the creation, enforceability toward third parties, priority, and enforcement of the assignment of a Receivable and its Proceeds is determined in accordance with Article 42 of the aforementioned Federal Law No (4) of 2020.
The law governing the rights and obligations between a Debtor of Receivable and the Assignor is the law applicable to:
The rights and obligations between the Assignee and the Debtor of Receivable;
The conditions under which the assignment may be invoked against the Debtor of Receivable, including whether an agreement limiting the Assignor's right to assign a Receivable may be asserted by the Debtor of Receivable; and
The extent to which obligations of the Debtor of Receivable have been discharged.
Article (23)
Application of other Laws
The provisions of the aforementioned Federal Law No (4) of 2020 shall apply to assignments of Receivables covered by this Decree-Law.
CHAPTER VI
FINAL PROVISIONS
Article (24)
Previous Transactions and Updating the Status
An Assignee may, without the Assignor's authorization, Publicize an assignment which arose out of any transaction concluded prior to the entry into force of this Decree-Law by registration in the Registry. Publicizing shall occur within a period of six months as of the date of the entry into force of this Decree-Law.
The priority of the assignment publicized within the period prescribed in paragraph (1) of this Article shall be determined as of the date on which the assignment became enforceable towards third parties according to the law under which it arose; otherwise, such assignment shall be enforceable towards third parties as of the date of Publicizing.
Article (25)
Regulatory Matters
Factoring in the State may only be exercised after a license is obtained from the Central Bank of the United Arab Emirates according to the conditions and provisions issued by the Central Bank.
Article (26)
Repealed Legislation
Any provision that violates or contradicts the provisions of this Decree-Law shall be repealed.
Article (27)
Publication of the Decree-Law and its Coming into Effect
This Decree-Law shall be published in the Official Gazette and shall come into effect upon the lapse of 90 days as of the date of its publication.
Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan
President of the United Arab Emirates
Issued by Us in the Presidential Palace in Abu Dhabi:
On: 29th of August 2021
20th Moharram 1443 H
Printed at the Modern Printing Press and Bookstore
Document Criteria
Document Number
16
Year
2021
Level المستوى
Federal اتحادي
Status الحالة
Active ساري
Category الفئة
Legislations تشريعات
Type النوع
Decree مرسوم
Issuing Authority جهة الإصدار
Council of Ministers مجلس الوزراء
Sector القطاع
Economy الاقتصاد