UAE-EAEU Economic Partnership Agreement enters into force
The Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) between the UAE and the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) officially entered into force, establishing a new preferential trade regime between the UAE and the EAEU's five members: Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Russia, according to WAM.
Under the agreement, the two sides will grant preferential access on more than 86 percent of tariff lines, covering roughly 96 percent of the value of goods currently traded between them. Officials expect the deal to lift annual trade between the two markets to close to $50 billion by 2032, supported by simplified customs procedures, new rules for e-commerce and economic cooperation, and provisions to help small and medium-sized enterprises trade internationally.
Dr Thani bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi, UAE Minister of Foreign Trade, said the agreement turns strong commercial momentum into a practical platform for exporters, manufacturers and supply-chain partners, and reflects the UAE's commitment to open, rules-based trade with high-potential markets. He added that it would strengthen supply-chain resilience, support food security and open opportunities in manufacturing, agriculture, logistics, automotive products, technology and precious metals.
Non-oil trade between the UAE and the EAEU reached $33.6 billion in 2025, up 16 percent on 2024 and more than four times its 2021 level, with imports from the EAEU at $17.8 billion and re-exports at $13.7 billion. Bilateral non-oil trade grew a further 6.2 percent year-on-year to $14.3 billion in the first half of 2026.
The EPA was signed in Minsk on 27th June 2025 and forms part of the UAE's wider CEPA programme, which since its 2021 launch has expanded the country's network of trade agreements across Asia, Africa, Europe and the Americas in support of the national target of raising non-oil foreign trade to AED4 trillion ($1.1 trillion) by 2031.
