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The CEPA was signed on 17 February 2025 in Abu Dhabi during a formal ceremony at Qasr Al Shati by His Excellency Dr Thani bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi, UAE Minister of Foreign Trade, from the UAE side, and Her Excellency Yulia Svyrydenko, First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economy of Ukraine, from the Ukrainian side. The signing ceremony was attended by UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al-Nahyan and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
CEPA Coverage
The UAE–Ukraine CEPA consists of 18 chapters and their annexes that cover trade in goods, rules of origin, customs procedures and trade facilitation, sanitary and phytosanitary measures, technical barriers to trade, trade remedies, trade in services, investment, digital trade, intellectual property rights, government procurement, small and medium-sized enterprises, economic cooperation, as well as institutional provisions, dispute settlement, and general and final provisions.
CEPA liberalizes trade and establishes clear, predictable rules and streamlines customs procedures that contribute to lowers transaction costs thereby contributing to Businesses’ ability to operate more efficiently across borders. At the same time, the CEPA is firmly anchored in the multilateral trading system and is fully aligned with World Trade Organization (WTO) rules, building on existing rights and obligations under agreements such as the GATT, GATS, and related WTO disciplines. The CEPA complementing global trade rules through deeper bilateral commitments that support economic growth, diversification, and integration into global value chains.
Market Access for Goods
Investment
The CEPA reaffirms the Parties’ commitment to the promotion and protection of investment under the existing bilateral investment agreement, and their shared objective of fostering a favourable and transparent investment climate. The CEPA encourages the expansion of investment and cross-border trade, supporting long-term economic development and diversification.
The CEPA establishes a dedicated UAE–Ukraine Council on Investment to enhance cooperation, monitor investment flows, and address investment-related matters. The Council serves as a platform to identify opportunities, remove barriers, and engage with the private sector to support increased investment between the two Parties.
Trade in Services
The CEPA establishes clear, transparent, and predictable rules to facilitate the cross-border supply of services. The CEPA promotes an open and non-discriminatory environment, ensuring that service suppliers from both Parties benefit from improved market access and national treatment, in line with internationally recognized standards.
The CEPA provides opportunities across a wide range of services sectors and subsectors, including professional services, financial services, transport and logistics, tourism, and digital services as well as a dedicated annex for telecommunications service. These commitments are supported by sector-specific disciplines that enhance regulatory transparency and promote efficient market entry and operation.
The CEPA establishes contact points and creates a mechanism for cooperation between the Partners. The CEPA promotes transparency and fair competition in government procurement processes, by ensuring that suppliers from both Partners have access to information on public tenders on a non-discriminatory basis, as well as having access to legislation and procedures.
The CEPA includes detailed Schedules of Specific Commitments for both the UAE and Ukraine, outlining the sectors, sub-sectors, and any applicable limitations on market access and national treatment.
For detailed information, please refer to the Trade in Services Chapter and its annexes on Schedules of Specific Commitments, which provide a comprehensive overview of the commitments undertaken by each Party available below.
Digital Trade
The CEPA promotes the growth of digital trade and e-commerce by establishing a modern and enabling framework that supports electronic transactions, digital authentication, and paperless trading. The Agreement ensures that digital and electronic signatures are legally recognized and encourages interoperable systems, while also prohibiting customs duties on electronic transmissions, thereby facilitating seamless digital exchanges between the Parties.
The CEPA enhances trust and confidence in the digital environment through commitments on online consumer protection and personal data protection, while supporting the free flow of information across borders, subject to legitimate public policy objectives. It also promotes innovation through cooperation on digital payments, digital identities, open data, and digital government initiatives, contributing to a more integrated and resilient digital economy.
The CEPA promotes the growth of digital trade and e-commerce by establishing a modern and enabling framework that supports electronic transactions, digital authentication, and paperless trading. The Agreement ensures that digital and electronic signatures are legally recognized and encourages interoperable systems, while also prohibiting customs duties on electronic transmissions, thereby facilitating seamless digital exchanges between the Parties.
The CEPA enhances trust and confidence in the digital environment through commitments on online consumer protection and personal data protection, while supporting the free flow of information across borders, subject to legitimate public policy objectives. It also promotes innovation through cooperation on digital payments, digital identities, open data, and digital government initiatives, contributing to a more integrated and resilient digital economy.
Intellectual Property
The CEPA complements existing international standards for the protection and enforcement of intellectual property rights by reaffirming the Parties’ commitments under the TRIPS Agreement and key WIPO treaties, while establishing a balanced and flexible framework covering areas such as copyrights, trademarks, patents, industrial designs, and geographical indications. The chapter strengthens transparency, enforcement, and cooperation between the Parties, promotes innovation, technology transfer, and investment, and ensures an appropriate balance between the rights of creators and broader public interests, including public health. Overall, it enhances confidence in protecting innovations, brands, and creative works, supporting the development of knowledge-based and creative industries.
Economic Cooperation
The CEPA promotes economic integration by fostering closer cooperation and enabling businesses to better access and benefit from emerging opportunities between the UAE and Ukraine.
The CEPA supports deeper trade and investment facilitation, market access, and sustainable economic growth by putting in place a flexible and forward-looking framework for collaboration across a broad range of priority sectors, including manufacturing, infrastructure and logistics, digital economy, agriculture and food security, tourism, transport, maritime, and energy, while allowing the Parties to expand cooperation into new areas of mutual interest over time.
The CEPA also provides for practical mechanisms such as an Annual Work Programme and a dedicated Subcommittee on Economic Cooperation to guide implementation, coordinate activities, and identify new opportunities, alongside initiatives focused on knowledge sharing, capacity building, and private sector engagement.
Government Procurement
The UAE–Ukraine CEPA lays the institutional and regulatory foundation for more open and competitive procurement markets over time. As the CEPA establishes a rules-based framework for government procurement that enhances transparency, fairness, and integrity in procurement processes, while providing flexibility to reflect the specific circumstances of each Party. It includes binding procedural obligations on the publication of procurement information, the conduct of fair and impartial tendering processes, and the availability of domestic review mechanisms, alongside commitments to address corruption and conflicts of interest from both sides. Supported by key disciplines such as non-discrimination and the use of electronic procurement are framed as best-endeavor commitments, and market access obligations are not yet fully liberalized, with the Parties agreeing to pursue further negotiations on coverage.
Dispute Settlement
The CEPA establishes a state-to-state dispute settlement mechanism that reflects the Parties’ commitment to resolving trade disputes in a fair, transparent, and timely manner.
The dispute settlement framework first provides for structured consultations, which, if necessary, would be followed by panel proceedings to ensure that disputes are addressed efficiently while preserving the rights and obligations under the CEPA.
This mechanism is designed to maintain the balance of concessions, safeguard the benefits of trade liberalization, and provide predictability and confidence for businesses operating under the CEPA.
Agreement Administration and Cross-Cutting Provisions
The CEPA establishes a robust institutional framework to ensure the effective implementation, operation, and evolution of the Agreement.
At its center is the Joint Committee that brings together senior officials from both Parties and is supported by specialized committees, subcommittees, and designated contact points, which facilitate coordination, dialogue, and exchange of information. These bodies are tasked with overseeing implementation across all the various areas of the CEPA, addressing technical issues, and ensuring that commitments are applied consistently and efficiently. As well as allowing Parties to adapt to evolving economic priorities and maximize the benefits of the CEPA.
Benefits
CEPA Key Benefits:
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Expanded Market Access and Tariff Liberalization: The CEPA delivers significant tariff elimination, with the UAE removing duties on 97% of Ukraine exports and Ukraine eliminating tariffs on 99% of UAE-originating goods, unlocking immediate and long-term export opportunities across key sectors.
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Simplified Trade and Reduced Costs: The CEPA streamlines customs procedures and enhances transparency, reducing administrative burdens and compliance costs. It also aligns technical regulations (TBT) and sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) measures with international standards, supported by clear and business-friendly rules of origin.
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Stronger and More Resilient Supply Chains: The CEPA facilitating greater integration between the two economies, the CEPA supports diversification of supply chains and sourcing opportunities, enabling businesses to build partnerships across manufacturing, processing, and logistics sectors.
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Enhanced Opportunities in Services and Investment: The CEPA promotes the liberalisation of services and facilitates investment flows, creating new opportunities for businesses to expand operations, access new markets, and establish a commercial presence in both countries.
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Enabling Digital Trade and Innovation: The CEPA supports the growth of the digital economy by promoting secure and seamless digital trade, including provisions on data flows, electronic transactions, and consumer protection, fostering a trusted online environment for businesses and consumers.
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Strengthened Intellectual Property Protection: By reinforcing the protection and enforcement of intellectual property rights, the CEPA enhances confidence for innovators, creators, and investors, supporting the development of knowledge-based and creative industries.
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Deepened Economic Cooperation and Private Sector Engagement: The CEPA promotes collaboration across priority sectors, including support for SMEs, innovation, and competition policy, while establishing institutional mechanisms that facilitate ongoing dialogue and active engagement with the private sector.
The Ukraine CEPA includes 18 chapters
The UAE-Ukraine CEPA Market Access Dashboard
UAE exporters can now benefit from greater market access through preferential tariff rates. Some products will be subject to zero tariffs from day one of entry into force of the CEPA, while some others will be reduced over time, as per the dashboard. To determine the tariff classification (HS code for your product), review the dashboard, find the tariff line description that best represents your product, and view the preferential tariff rate for your product and estimate the charges.
Issuance of Certificate of Origin
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