RAKEZ and Ministry of Foreign Trade equip businesses with insights into UAE’s expanding trade opportunities

RAKEZ and Ministry of Foreign Trade equip businesses with insights into UAE’s expanding trade opportunities

Ras Al Khaimah, Nov 12: Ras Al Khaimah Economic Zone (RAKEZ) and the UAE Ministry of Foreign Trade (MoFT), co-organised an awareness session on Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreements (CEPAs), helping businesses understand how to benefit from the UAE’s expanding network of international trade partnerships.

Bringing together business owners and professionals involved in manufacturing, trading, logistics and international business operations, the session highlighted CEPAs role in strengthening the UAE‘s position as a global trading hub by reducing trade barriers, improving market access and creating new investment opportunities. These agreements extend beyond preferential tariffs to cover areas such as services, digital trade, government procurement and economic cooperation, offering businesses multiple avenues for international growth.

During the session, MoFT explained the scope of the agreements and their practical implications for businesses operating in the UAE.

The Ministry’s presentation focused on how CEPAs can improve export competitiveness. Under most of these agreements, customs duties are eliminated on more than 90% of tariff lines, enabling eligible UAE products to enter partner markets at reduced costs.

According to MoFT Experts, the agreements also offer advantages for manufacturers on the import side as well, through reduced or eliminated tariffs on raw materials and components sourced from partner countries can lower production costs, while access to a wider supplier network across Asia, Africa and Latin America can help businesses diversify sourcing and strengthen supply chain resilience.

The discussion also explored the investment opportunities created by CEPAs, including greater regulatory transparency, improved access to international markets and enhanced cooperation between businesses across partner countries. Participants received guidance on rules of origin, product eligibility and the documentation required to access preferential trade benefits, including considerations relevant to free zone companies.

RAKEZ Group CEO Ramy Jallad said: “The UAE is opening up new possibilities for businesses through its growing network of international trade partnerships. But knowing where the opportunities lie and how to make use of them is equally important. With such a diverse community of businesses at RAKEZ, we see real value in bringing government expertise directly to our clients, helping them make informed decisions and explore new avenues for growth. This is the kind of practical engagement we want to continue building with our government partners.”

Through such knowledge-sharing initiatives, RAKEZ continues to connect its business community with government expertise and practical resources that support informed decision-making, international expansion and long-term business growth.