Export to United Arab Emirates - Fedex

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United Arab Emirates Country Profile

* Country Information
* Trade Group Member
* General Import Clearance Information
* United Arab Emirates Import Prohibitions
* General Import Restrictions
* United Arab Emirates Import Restrictions
* Special Import Provisions
o Personal Effects
o Samples
o Gifts
* Standards
* General Export Clearance Information
* United Arab Emirates Export Prohibitions
* General Export Restrictions
* United Arab Emirates Export Restrictions
* Regulatory Contact Information

Country Information
Capital: Abu Dhabi
Population: 4,444,011 (July 2007 est.)
Language: The official language is Arabic but English is widely used in business. Hindi, Urdu and Farsi (Persian) are also spoken.
Weights and Measures: Metric
Currency: Emirates Dirhams
Time Zone UTC/GMT +4 hours



Trade Group Member

The United Arab Emirates is either a member, signatory or observer to the following: Arab League, Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), International Monetary Fund (IMF), Interpol, Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), United Nations (UN), World Customs Organization (WCO), World Health Organization (WHO)

The Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) is an economic and political policy-coordination forum for the six member nations (Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates). The GCC cannot impose trade policies upon member nations. Therefore, each is free to pass and enforce it's own trade laws. However, there has been increasing cooperation among the members on issues such as customs duties, intellectual property protection, standards and intra-GCC investment. In January 2003, the GCC implemented a customs union. Theoretically, this means that the members have adopted a unified customs policy and procedures; single point of entry (SPOE) with internally free movement of goods, and treatment of goods as national origin within the GCC. However, problems do exist. The GCC has set 2010 as the target year for a unified single currency.






General Import Clearance Information

Clearance Process
FedEx is the Gateway Hub in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) with a pre-clearance facility in Dubai. FedEx will contact the consignee and obtain prior approval regarding duty and tax charges for shipments with a value greater than 1400 (DHS). FedEx-UAE has a value threshold agreement with Dubai Customs for dutiable shipments at 270 (USD) and above. UAE Customs has the right to reassess the value of any shipment and levy duty and tax on the newly assessed amount. FedEx will not be held liable for confiscated shipments due to mis-declaration, commodity prohibition, etc. Claims due to losses incurred due to these circumstances will be denied. Shipments not cleared within thirty days will be abandoned. Full and partial destroy facility is available for this purpose. Clearance must take place at the port of entry (this means Dubai as this is the only city that FedEx currently flies into). Inbond transfers are available ONLY to Free Trade Zones. Hold-at-Location (HAL) service is available at the Dubai Station (Metroplex) and the Abu Dhabi station. There is a limit of five business days for this service.

Document Requirements

Air Waybill: an international air waybill is required for every shipment to the UAE.

Commercial Invoice: is required for every shipment except documents. It should include all of the following essential data elements: complete shipper's and consignee information including telephone and/or fax numbers, quantity of the goods, complete description of the goods (spare parts, part numbers, samples, etc are not adequate descriptions). Individual values for each of the commodities must be shown as well as the country of manufacture for each regardless of where the shipment originates. Please specify the currency type along with signature of shipper with date and title. Clearance will be delayed and/or subject to customs fines if shipper incorrectly declares the country of manufacture.

Import Licenses: All beef and poultry products require a Halal health certificate from the country of origin and a halal slaughter certificate issued by an approved Islamic center in the country of origin. Health certificates must accompany shipments of blood derivatives and other biological substances certifying that that country of origin is free from any infectious or epidemic diseases.

Commercial Shipments: the UAE government requires that the importer/exporter be licensed by their local municipality and possess a trade license from their local Chamber of Commerce to in the commodities that they are importing and/or exporting.

Personal Shipments: the UAE government may require the recipient's personal identification number in order to clear a shipment into the UAE.

Customs Valuation
The customs valuation is based on the CIF value. This means that the cost of the item plus the amount paid for insurance plus the transportation cost to move the freight to the UAE is taken in total and then assessed duty at the applicable rate for the commodity classification. The UAE has relatively low duty rates, usually five percent (5%), for most goods. Most items that are considered essential, such as staple foodstuffs and pharmaceuticals, are allowed duty free status but a bill of entry is required. However, imports of liquor/alcohol are subject to fifty percent (50%) and cigarettes one hundred percent (100%) on their CIF value. The CIF value that is stated on the commercial invoice is generally accepted, however UAE Customs are not bound to accept the figures listed and can reset the estimated value of the goods.

Import Duties
The United Arab Emirates (UAE) is a member of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) a plan which calls for the economic integration of the six Arabian member states (Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, Oman and the UAE). Under the terms of this agreement, eligible products will be exempt from duties and other charges when traded among member states. In order to qualify for benefit status, the value of the goods cannot be less than 40 percent of the final value and must be produced in a factory that is at least 53 percent local ownership that is duly licensed by a members respective Ministry of Finance and Industry. Intra-GCC shipments claiming this exemption must be accompanied by a duly authenticated certificate of origin.

Under the auspices of the 2003 Gulf Council Unification (GCU) Customs Union Agreement, the GCC members adopted an across-the-board common external tariff rate of five percent (5%) for most products. The GCC also agreed to develop a list of products to which higher tariff rates will apply. Likewise, certain staple items such as food and pharmaceutical products are exempt from tariff.

The Customs duty for most items is calculated on the CIF value at the rate of five percent (5%). Imports of liquor/alcohol are subject to a fifty percent (50%) customs duty on their CIF value while imports of tobacco products face a one hundred percent (100%) duty on their CIF value. Many essential items such as staple foodstuffs and pharmaceuticals are allowed duty-fee status.

Duty exemptions are available for Government (such as Police and Ministry of Defense), Semi-Government organizations and industrial license holders (such as raw materials). The organizations must provide a duty exemption letter and other necessary documentation as per customs regulations.

Antidumping
None

Excise Duties
Imports of alcohol/liquor are subject to fifty percent (50%) while tobacco is subject to one hundred percent (100%) luxury tax.

Additional Duties
None

Import Taxes
None

Customs Fees
Apart from the usual five percent (5%) duty rate. There is a customs fee of DH 30 (approximately $8.20 USD) for each Bill of Entry presented to customs. Federal Express charges either DH 20 or two percent (2%), whichever is greater, on any duty and tax prepays that it makes on behalf of the customer. If you wish to avoid this charge, you will need to set up an account with Dubai Customs at their website.

Exchange Controls
None

Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT's)
The UAE maintains a relatively liberal trade policy. However, there are some non-tariff barriers to trade and investment in the form of agency sponsorship requirements and shelf-life requirements for food products. Foreign entities wanting to do business in the UAE must have a UAE national sponsor, agent or distributor. The UAE's Commercial Agencies Law requires that foreign principals distribute their products in the UAE only through exclusive commercial agents that are either UAE nationals or companies wholly owned by UAE nationals. The foreign principal can appoint one agent for the entire UAE or for a particular emirate or group of emirates. All UAE commercial agents must be registered with the Ministry of Economy and Commerce. Once chosen, agents/distributors have exclusive rights and have lawful protection against terminating agency contracts only by mutual agreement of the foreign principal and the local agent, not withstanding the expiration of the term of the contract. Except for companies located in one of the Free Zones, at least fifty-one percent of a business must be owned by a UAE national. A business engaged in importing and distributing a product must either be a one hundred percent UAE owned agency/distributorship or a fifty-one percent UAE / forty-nine percent foreign limited liability company (LLC).

Government Tenders

The UAE requires that a company must be registered in order to receive government tender contracts. In order to be registered, a company must enjoy at least fifty-one percent ownership. However, these rules are routinely waived whenever local industry cannot provide the goods or services required. The UAE does not require that a portion of any government tender be subcontracted to local firms but it does grant a ten percent price preference for local firms. The UAE is not a signatory to the WTO Agreement on Government Procurement.

Agriculture Barriers

Food products do face some regulations which are considered to be minor trade barriers. There are GCC-mandated shelf life requirements for processed products stating that both the production and expiration dates must be listed on the original manufacturer applied label. Furthermore, all imported food products must have one-half or more of their shelf life remaining at the time of import or clearance will be denied.

Consular Fees
Legalization of shipping documents is generally not required as a condition of entry of goods into the United Arab Emirates (UAE). However, if you are ever required to provide such documents there are charges for this service.


Importers are only allowed to import commercial shipments which adhere to the terms of their trade license as issued by the local government authority. Only firms with the appropriate trade license can engage in commercial importations. The UAE's Commercial Agencies Law requires that foreign principals distribute their products in the UAE only through exclusive commercial agents that are either UAE nationals or companies that are wholly owned by UAE nationals. The foreign principal can appoint a single agent for the entire UAE or on a particular emirate or group of emirates. All UAE commercial agents must be registered with the Ministry of Economy and Commerce. It is important to note that once a commercial agent is chosen, agent/distributors have exclusive rights to distribute for the foreign principal and the agent can only be terminated either by mutual consent with that agent or fulfillment of the contract. Since 1996, the UAE has not recognized new agency agreements in the food sector. Personal shipments are generally exempt from this requirement.

The Drug Control Department of the UAE Ministry of Health has strict guidelines regarding the importation of blood derivatives and other biological substances. A certificate indicating that the pharmaceutical formula has been registered with the UAE Ministry of Health is required. A list of the shipment's contents outlining each kind of drug, it's components and the size of the packages, numbers and expiration dates should be listed. Blood derivatives that are not registered with the Ministry should provide a registration certificate from the factory or the formula as well as a valid health certificate attesting that the country of origin is free from any infectious or epidemic diseases. If a company does not want to get it's product tested by the drug control laboratory in the UAE, a health certificate issued by a GCC approved lab will suffice. The UAE maintains the right to collect and test random samples to ensure the safety of the blood supply. Any medicines found to be unfit, expired or not in compliance with UAE Ministry of Health regulations is subject to confiscation.

The UAE has made increases in the area of intellectual property protections. New laws passed in 2002 offer increased levels of protection. The UAE is a party to the Paris Convention for the Protection of Industrial Property, the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) and World Trade Organization (WTO). The UAE has a agreement with U.S. pharmaceutical companies that provides a de facto patent protection for a number of U.S. patent-protected medicines. According to 2002 industry estimates, the rate of software piracy in the UAE is the lowest in the Middle East. The UAE has been recognized as the regional leader in fighting computer software piracy.

The UAE's new Trademark Law states that the UAE will follow the International Classification System and that one trademark can be registered in a number of classes. The new law provides that the trademark holder will enjoy exclusive rights to the use of the trademark as registered and prevent others from using an identical or similar enough mark if it will cause confusion among consumers.

The UAE published its Patent Law in November 2002. The law provides for national treatment for property owners from other WTO members, complete patent protection and intellectual property rights with both civil and criminal policies and procedures. In October 2003, the Ministry of Health issued a circular providing protection for pharmaceutical products equal to the patent term of the pharmaceutical product in the country of origin.




United Arab Emirates Import Prohibitions

The following items are prohibited in the United Arab Emirates (UAE):

* Illicit drugs (hashish, cocaine, heroin, etc)
* Forged and duplicate currency, bank notes, etc
* Items that are offensive to Muslim culture
* items that do not adhere to religious, morals or aims to cause corruption and disorder
* Irradiated food products

Technically, statues of any kind are prohibited. However, the Customs Director can give special approval for the importation of statues. If you wish to import a statue you should write the Customs Director requesting permission to see if accommodations can be made.




General Import Restrictions

The following items are not acceptable for carriage to any international destinations unless otherwise indicated. (Additional restrictions may apply depending on destination. Various regulatory clearances in addition to customs clearance may be required for certain commodities, thereby extending the transit time.)

* APO/FPO addresses.

* C.O.D. shipments.

* Human corpses, human organs or body parts, human and animal embryos, or cremated or disinterred human remains.

* Explosives (Class 1.4 explosives are acceptable for carriage to Canada, Germany, Japan, Sweden, United Arab Emirates and United Kingdom. Note: United Arab Emirates only allows Class 1.4 explosives to be shipped hold- for- pick-up to the FedEx Express facility in Dubai.)

* Firearms, weaponry, and their parts (acceptable between the U.S. and Puerto Rico).

* Perishable foodstuffs and foods and beverages requiring refrigeration or other environmental control.

* Live animals (including insects) except via our Live Animal Desk (1.800.405.9052).

* Plants and plant material, including cut flowers (cut flowers are acceptable from the U.S. to selected points in Canada and from Colombia, Ecuador and the Netherlands to the U.S.).

* Lottery tickets and gambling devices where prohibited by local, state, provincial or national law.

* Money (coins, cash, currency, paper money and negotiable instruments equivalent to cash such as endorsed stocks, bonds and cash letters).

* Collectible coins and stamps.

* Pornographic and/or obscene material.

* Hazardous waste, including, but not limited to, used hypodermic needles or syringes or other medical waste.

* Shipments that may cause damage to, or delay of, equipment, personnel or other shipments.

* Shipments that require us to obtain any special license or permit for transportation, importation or exportation.

* Shipments whose carriage, importation or exportation is prohibited by any law, statute or regulation.

* Shipments with a declared value for customs in excess of that permitted for a specific destination.

* Dangerous goods except as permitted under the Dangerous Goods section of these terms and conditions.

* Processed or unprocessed dead animals, including insects and pets. Taxidermy-finished hunting trophies or completely processed (dried) specimens of whole animals or parts of animals are acceptable for shipment into the U.S.

* Packages that are wet, leaking or emit an odor of any kind.

* Wildlife products that require U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service export clearance by FedEx prior to exportation from the U.S.

* Shipments* being processed under:

Duty drawback claims unless advance arrangements are made.

Temporary Import Bonds - acceptable under the FedEx International Broker Select option, for initial import only.

U.S. State Department licenses.

Carnets.

U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration export permit.

Shipments destined to or being withdrawn from a Foreign Trade Zone.

Letters of Credit (however, shipments covered by a Letter of Credit calling for a "Courier Receipt" as defined by Article 25 of UCP 600 may move via FedEx International Priority).

Certificate of Registration shipments (CF4455).

Shipments moving into or out of Foreign Trade Zones or bonded warehouses.

*You may be able to ship these items via FedEx International Premium, FedEx International Express Freight (IXF), FedEx International Airport-to-Airport (ATA) or FedEx International Controlled Export. For information on FedEx International Premium, IXF and ITA, call FedEx Express Freight Services at 1.800.332.0807. For information on FedEx International Controlled Export, call International Customer Service at 1.800.247.4747or your local FedEx customer service representative.






United Arab Emirates Restrictions

Imports of alcohol and pork products are strictly regulated.




Special Import Provisions

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) does provide for temporary entry imports. Temporary entry imports for re-export, which will be re-exported within six months, are exempt from customs duty. However, a bank guarantee in lieu of duty is required or a deposit check addressed to Dubai Customs. The bank guarantee will be returned upon documented proof of re-export being provided to local customs authorities.

The UAE has several Duty-Free Zones into which goods can be imported. Duty is payable when the goods leave these zones. In the Free Zones, there are no requirements for majority local ownership. Currently, there are no provisions for goods to be imported duty-free, substantially changed by further processing and subsequently exported.

Personal Effects
Personal Effects shipments should be indicated on the airway bill and commercial invoice in addition to the actual commodity descriptions. Dubai Customs officials have absolute authority in their determination whether to allow entries of this kind. Generally, the commodities should be used goods which would be considered personal in nature.

Samples
Samples require an air waybill and commercial invoice (the original and two copies). The value limit for duty-free entry for samples is $270 (USD) or less. The commercial invoice must state that they are samples and have no commercial value. If all of this criteria is met, then same day clearance is likely.

Gifts
The UAE does have a "Gift Shipment" allowance. The limit for free entry is $270 (USD). UAE customs has absolute authority over what they will and will not allow duty-free entry. Duty will have to be paid on any amount that exceeds the $270 (USD) limit. This also applies to re-evaluated values as conducted and specified by UAE Customs.




Standards

As a part of the GCC Customs Union, member nations are working towards unifying their standards and conformity assessment systems. However, discrepancies do exist. Each country currently applies either it's own standard or a GCC standard, causing much confusion.

The Emirates Standardization and Metrology Authority is an independent organization under the umbrella of the Federal Ministry of Finance and Industry. Their responsibility is formulating and enforcing UAE/GCC standards. The country is moving towards implementation of an ISO 9000 certification program.

All food labels must provide the following: product and brand names, production and expiry dates, country of origin, manufacturer, net weight in metric units, and a list of ingredients and additives in descending order of proportion. The use of any fats or oils as ingredients must be listed on the label. Arabic labeling is required and can be applied by sticker. However, the production and expiry dates must be printed on the original manufactured label.


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General Export Clearance Information

Clearance Process
All goods exported or re-exported from the UAE must have the proper documentation issued by the Ministry of Economy and Commerce, as well as, the various Chambers of Commerce in the respective individual emirates.

There are no duties on exports from the UAE.

Document Requirements
Air Waybill: an international air waybill is required for every shipment.

Commercial Invoice: is required for everyshipment except documents. It should include all of the following essential data elements: complete shipper's and consignee information including telephone and/or fax numbers, quantity of the goods, complete description of the goods (spare parts, part numbers, samples, etc are not adequate descriptions), individual values for each of the commodities in your shipment, the country of origin for each of the commodities in your shipment, specify the currency type, signature of shipper with date and title.

Permits: Specific export permits are for commodities subject to export controls. The Dubai Customs Service is the government office for dual use exports (commercial items that may have military applications). Other departments and agencies have regulatory jurisdiction and issue licenses for controlled substances and precursor chemicals, for endangered fish and wildlife species, for defense services and articles, for arms and munitions, for nuclear material, equipment and technology, for fuels, for drugs and medical devices. Before exporting these items, special licenses must be obtained from customs office to insure that the items are not part of the national heritage of the United Arab Emirates. License requirements are dependent upon an item's technical characteristics, the destination, the end-use, end-user and other activities of the end-user. Specific questions pertaining to commodity licensing requirements should be directed to the lead agency. Agency information, telephone number and basic commodities that might require export permits could be identified by accessing the Department and agency web sites listed in the profile.



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United Arab Emirates Export Prohibitions

The following items are prohibited in the United Arab Emirates (UAE):

* Illicit drugs (hashish, cocaine, heroin, etc)
* Forged and duplicate currency, bank notes, etc
* Items that are offensive to Muslim culture
* Items that do not adhere to religious, morals or aims to cause corruption and disorder
* Irradiated food products




General Export Restrictions

The following items are not acceptable for carriage to any international destinations unless otherwise indicated. (Additional restrictions may apply depending on destination. Various regulatory clearances in addition to customs clearance may be required for certain commodities, thereby extending the transit time.)

* APO/FPO addresses.

* C.O.D. shipments.

* Human corpses, human organs or body parts, human and animal embryos, or cremated or disinterred human remains.

* Explosives (Class 1.4 explosives are acceptable for carriage to Canada, Germany, Japan, Sweden, United Arab Emirates and United Kingdom. Note: United Arab Emirates only allows Class 1.4 explosives to be shipped hold- for- pick-up to the FedEx Express facility in Dubai.)

* Firearms, weaponry, and their parts (acceptable between the U.S. and Puerto Rico).

* Perishable foodstuffs and foods and beverages requiring refrigeration or other environmental control.

* Live animals (including insects) except via our Live Animal Desk (1.800.405.9052).

* Plants and plant material, including cut flowers (cut flowers are acceptable from the U.S. to selected points in Canada and from Colombia, Ecuador and the Netherlands to the U.S.).

* Lottery tickets and gambling devices where prohibited by local, state, provincial or national law.

* Money (coins, cash, currency, paper money and negotiable instruments equivalent to cash such as endorsed stocks, bonds and cash letters).

* Collectible coins and stamps.

* Pornographic and/or obscene material.

* Hazardous waste, including, but not limited to, used hypodermic needles or syringes or other medical waste.

* Shipments that may cause damage to, or delay of, equipment, personnel or other shipments.

* Shipments that require us to obtain any special license or permit for transportation, importation or exportation.

* Shipments whose carriage, importation or exportation is prohibited by any law, statute or regulation.

* Shipments with a declared value for customs in excess of that permitted for a specific destination.

* Dangerous goods except as permitted under the Dangerous Goods section of these terms and conditions.

* Processed or unprocessed dead animals, including insects and pets. Taxidermy-finished hunting trophies or completely processed (dried) specimens of whole animals or parts of animals are acceptable for shipment into the U.S.

* Packages that are wet, leaking or emit an odor of any kind.

* Wildlife products that require U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service export clearance by FedEx prior to exportation from the U.S.

* Shipments* being processed under:

Duty drawback claims unless advance arrangements are made.

Temporary Import Bonds - acceptable under the FedEx International Broker Select option, for initial import only.

U.S. State Department licenses.

Carnets.

U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration export permit.

Shipments destined to or being withdrawn from a Foreign Trade Zone.

Letters of Credit (however, shipments covered by a Letter of Credit calling for a "Courier Receipt" as defined by Article 25 of UCP 600 may move via FedEx International Priority).

Certificate of Registration shipments (CF4455).

Shipments moving into or out of Foreign Trade Zones or bonded warehouses.

*You may be able to ship these items via FedEx International Premium, FedEx International Express Freight (IXF), FedEx International Airport-to-Airport (ATA) or FedEx International Controlled Export. For information on FedEx International Premium, IXF and ITA, call FedEx Express Freight Services at 1.800.332.0807. For information on FedEx International Controlled Export, call International Customer Service at 1.800.247.4747 or your local FedEx customer service representative.






United Arab Emirates Restrictions

All goods exported or re-exported from the UAE must have the proper documentation issued by the Ministry of Economy and Commerce as well as the various Chambers of Commerce in the respective emirates.

Any antiques that are exported are subject to police inspection by the Dubai Police Department.

The following commodities are prohibited via FedEx International Priority (IP) services out of United Arab Emirates. However, you may be able to use another FedEx service for shipping these items. For additional shipping options, please contact your local FedEx customer service representative.

* Airline tickets, blank stock

* Antiques

* Bearer bonds

* Collectable coins

* Blank credit cards

* Credit cards, other than telephone cards

* Firearms, parts

* Poisons (toxics)

* Non-negotiable stocks

* Blue ice

* Radioactive and explosive material


Certain commodities may be subject to export controls, which may require additional documentation such as:

* Export Licensing for Dual Use Goods (goods that may be used in either military or civilian application) which are controlled by the Comision Nacional de Control de Exportaciones Sensitivas y Material Belico (CONCESYMB). The commission consists of an integration of the Foreign Ministry, the Ministry of Defense and Argentine Customs.

* Sanitary, phytosanitary or safety standard certification for products such as meat, seeds, fruit, vegetables and marine goods.

* Additional products that are controlled for export include psychotropic substances and endangered fish and wildlife species.


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Regulatory Contact Information

Branch or Agency Name


Areas of Responsibility
Dubai Customs
P.O. Box 63
Dubai, UAE
Tele: 971-4-345-5555

Dubai Police Department
P.O. Box 1493
Dubai, United Arab Emirates
Tele: 971-4-297-7877
E-mail: mail@dubaipolice.gov.ae

UAE Ministry of Health
Trade Center St, Bldg 61
Dubai, UAE
Tele: 971-4-396-6669
E-mail: postmaster@moh.gov.ae

Dubai Chamber of Commerce and Industry
P.O. Box 1457
Dubai, UAE
Tele: 971-4-228-0000
E-mail: dcciinfo@dcci.gov.ae