The Treasurer’s Guide to Trade Finance

United Arab Emirates

Principal exports

Crude oil, natural gas, re-exports, dried fish, and
dates.

Documentation

Imports

ƒ Bill of landing, certificate of origin,
commercial invoice, customs import
declaration and a packing list.

Exports

ƒ Bill of lading, certificate of origin, commercial
invoice and a customs export declaration.

Licences

Imports

ƒ Importers to the UAE must be licensed and
can only import the good specified under the
terms of their individual licence.

Exports

ƒ None.

Tariffs/Taxes

Imports

ƒ Tariffs on imports are set in line with the

GCC Customs Union. This sets a maximum

tariff of 5 percent for most goods imported

from outside the GCC. However, certain

goods such as alcohol (125 percent) and

tobacco (100 percent) are subject to much

higher tariffs. Duties on quantity and weight

may also lead to higher tariffs.

ƒ Tariffs are not applied to imports within the

GCC.

Exports

ƒ None.

Financing requirements for imports/

exports

ƒ None.

Prohibited items

Imports

ƒ Any company blacklisted by the Arab League

is not permitted to import products into the

UAE. Other imports may be prohibited for

moral, health, environmental, foreign policy

and national security reasons.

ƒ Imports from Israel are also prohibited.

Exports

ƒ Exports to Israel are prohibited.

UAE imports exports

Trade information

Key trading partners

Imports by origin

EU 15.7%

India 12.5%

China 7.5%

USA 6.2%

Japan 4.3%

Other 53.8%

Source: WTO, September 2012

Exports by destination

India 11.0%

Iran 4.7%

Iraq 2.3%

Switzerland 2.2%

EU 1.9%

Other 77.9%