UAE and UE Seek to Bolster Trade Ties

A UAE delegation led by Minister of Foreign Trade, Dr Thani Al Zeyoudi, visited the EU headquarters in Brussels, Belgium in a bid t enhance economic partnerships as well as cooperation in other areas. EU Commissioner for Trade, Maros Sefcovic, welcome the Emirati delegation, The two sides discussed partnerships in the fields of advanced manufacturing, healthcare, eCommerce, logistics and renewable energy.

In 2024, the UAE-EU trade stood at USD 67.6 billion, a 3.6% rise year-on-year from 2023. The EU is the second trade partner of the UAE and accounts for 8.3% of UAE’s total non-hydrocarbon overseas trade.

“The European Union is a highly valued trade and investment partner for the UAE, with ties that continue to deepen across a range of sectors. This is evidenced not only by increasing trade exchanges but also through strategic collaboration in areas such as food security, energy transition and advanced technology.”

UAE Minister of Trade Thani Al Zeyoudi

In a bid to further boost trade, UAE and EU have concluded an enhanced Free Trade Agreement (#FTA), known as Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (#CEPA). Under the Agreement, twenty-seven deals in numerous sectors have materialized so far. There is nevertheless more room for cooperation between UAE and the EU in strategic sectors such as food security, advanced manufacturing, healthcare, logistics, and artificial intelligence (#AI).

This visit to Brussels aimed at strengthening along UAE’s economic relations with the EU is aligned with the vision of positioning the UAE as a global leader in trade and investment by fostering relationships with key partners.