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In line with the Government’s objective to promote and protect the financial stability of the UAE and to ensure an integral financial system at the local and international levels, the Ministerial Council for Development discussed the formation of the Financial Stability Board to provide recommendations necessary for enhancing the financial performance in the UAE.
The Ministerial Council for Development, chaired by H.H. Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Presidential Affairs and Chairman of the Ministerial Council for Development, affirmed that the integration between financial policies and the economic frameworks is a shared responsibility among all relevant entities. The establishment of the Financial Stability Board will ensure quick government actions to secure liquidity for banks and protect deposits.
On a different topic and as part of the Government's commitment to provide high quality and sustainable health services, the Council discussed the National Policy on Intellectual Property in the field of health, with aim of protecting the community from the dangers of counterfeit medicines and medical supplies. The Policy will protect the rights of drug innovators, health products, scientists and researchers.
The Ministerial Council for Development also discussed the Cabinet’s decision on the adoption of unified national standards for public and private hospitals, which is in line with the UAE Vision 2021 to improve the level of services provided in the UAE in accordance to best standards and best international practices. The new unified standards provide guidelines for health care professionals and hospital design, as well as other standards for medicines, patients' rights, and patient’s families.
In line with the Governmental efforts to support the efficient implementation of the tax system and tourism sector, the Ministerial Council for Development discussed a decision on the implementation of VAT refund system for tourists. The system will be implemented in cooperation with the Federal Customs Authority and the local customs administrations. The decision includes the mechanism of operation, the refund of the VAT to tourists coming from outside the country, and the conditions and procedures to be followed to ensure easy transactions. 

The Ministerial Council for Development discussed as well the development of a new federal law on the Central Bank and the organisation of financial facilities and activities, which comes in the light of efforts to strengthen the role of the Central Bank as an independent supervisory body for financial institutions. The law aims to maintain the privileged position of the UAE as a major financial hub in the region and the world.

The Council also discussed the federal law on public debt with objective to strengthen of financial planning of the Federal Government and the sustainability of public finances as well as improve the credit rating of the UAE and increase investors’ confidence.  The ceiling of public debt at the level of the federal government of the UAE was discussed, as well as allowing more flexibility for the local governments to determine the domestic public debt ceiling. 
In the legislative affairs, the Council discussed amending a number of laws such as amending certain provisions of Federal Law No. 4 of 2002, and amend some provisions of Law No. (3) for the year 1987 on the Penal Code.
The Board also reviewed the final report of the Audit Bureau on the consolidated final account of the union for the fiscal year ended 2017, and the results of the survey of National Programme for happiness and Positivity, in addition to a number of other subjects in the governmental affairs.