UAE trade deal with Eurasian Economic Union comes into force

The UAE's Economic Partnership Agreement with the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) has officially come into force, opening up preferential access to markets in Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Russia.

The deal reduces or removes tariffs on around 86 per cent of customs items between the UAE and EAEU, covering about 96 per cent of the value of trade between them.

It is expected to lift annual trade between the two markets to nearly $50 billion (AED 183 billion) by 2032.

Non-oil trade between the UAE and the EAEU reached $33.6 billion (AED 123 billion) in 2025, up 16 per cent on the previous year. It grew a further 6.2 per cent year-on-year to $14.3 billion (AED 52 billion) in the first half of 2026.

Minister of Foreign Trade Dr Thani bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi said the agreement would turn growing trade momentum into practical opportunities for exporters, manufacturers and supply chain partners on both sides.

He added that it would strengthen supply chains, support food security and open new areas of cooperation in sectors including manufacturing, logistics, technology and precious metals.

The agreement was signed in Minsk in June 2025 and forms part of the UAE's Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement programme, launched in 2021.