Under the 2018 FDI Law, foreign investment may be permitted in sectors of the economy if those sectors do not appear in a "negative list". The UAE Cabinet may add sectors to, or remove sectors from, the "negative list". The sectors of the economy that are listed in the "negative list" in the FDI Law are:
• Oil exploration and production
• Investigation, security, military (including manufacturing of military weapons and equipment)
• Banking and financing activities
• Insurance
• Pilgrimage and umrah services
• Certain recruitment activities
• Water and electricity provision
• Fishing and related services
• Post, telecommunication and other audio visual services
• Road and air transport
• Printing and publishing
• Commercial agency
• Medical retail (including pharmacies)
• Blood banks, quarantines and venom/poison banks