The Economic Partnership Agreement between the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU), its member states, and the United Arab Emirates took effect on October 6, 2026, Qazinform News Agency reports, citing the Kazakh Ministry of Trade and Integration. The document eliminates or reduces import duties on over 85% of traded goods.
For Kazakh exporters, the agreement opens additional opportunities in the UAE market. In particular, a range of agricultural and industrial products can now enter the Emirates market duty-free. The list of agricultural goods includes lamb, dried leguminous vegetables, poultry meat, beef, other food products, sweetened sparkling water, wheat flour and confectionery products.
The preferential regime also covers a range of industrial goods, including oil and petroleum products, refined copper, flat hot-rolled and cold-rolled products, rods, valves, taps, machine and equipment parts, pumps and other products. In addition to tariff measures, the agreement provides for cooperation in customs administration, trade protection, determination of the origin of goods, technical regulation, sanitary and phytosanitary measures, and intellectual property protection.
Separate provisions concern legal and institutional issues, sectoral cooperation, small and medium business interaction, and electronic commerce. The new preferential regime is expected to boost two-way trade and strengthen economic ties between Kazakhstan and the UAE.
The agreement was signed on June 27, 2025, in St. Petersburg. Kazakhstan ratified it on July 8, 2026. As reported earlier, the document also includes provisions addressing e-commerce, economic cooperation, and the participation of small and medium-sized enterprises in international trade.