A foreign company can open a fully owned branch or a representative office in the UAE, however it may only engage in non-commercial activities and it may only engage in the type of activities that are carried out by its parent company. A representative office is limited further still and may only provide limited services to its parent company such as market research and administrative services. Similarly to the procedures required for establishing an entity under the Civil Code, a parent company must engage the services of a national agent to act as a sponsor.