The Sharjah Economic Development Department (SEDD) issued and renewed 73,111 licences in the emirate of Sharjah during 2017, a total growth of 2 per cent compared to 2016 according to SEDD’s Licence Report 2017, said a report.

The report revealed that a total of 67,522 licences were renewed in 2017 a growth rate of 4 per cent compared to 2016, reported state news agency Wam.

Also, it revealed that commercial licences came first in terms of the number of licences effective in the emirate of Sharjah in 2017 at a total of 47,705 and a rate of 65 per cent.

This was followed by professional licences at 31 per cent, industrial licences at 3 per cent, and Eitimad licences at 1 per cent, while industrial licences achieved the highest growth rate at a rate of 27 per cent in 2017.

In the context of geographical distribution and horizontal development of economic activities, the main branch hit the highest rates of business licence movement at 48 per cent, followed by the Industrial Areas Branch at a rate of 34 per cent, and the Central Region Branch at 10 per cent.

It should be noted that Khorfakkan Branch reached 4 per cent followed by Dibba Al Hisn Branch at 1 per cent, respectively, added the report.