- Country or region
- United Arab Emirates
- Gulf region
- Trade topics
- Negotiations and agreements
In April 2025, the EU and the UAE agreed to launch negotiations on an ambitious and commercially beneficial free trade agreement (FTA).
The negotiations for an FTA are part of a wider effort by the EU to deepen its trade and investment ties with the Gulf region in line with the EU’s Joint Communication on a Strategic Partnership with the Gulf of 2022 and the Joint Statement of the first EU-Gulf Coopeation Council (GCC) summit in October 2024. The envisaged bilateral FTA may serve as a building block for a future regional FTA with the GCC.
The negotiations - which were formally launched on 28 May 2025 - will focus on reducing tariffs on goods, and facilitating services, digital trade and investment flows.
The EU and the UAE will also explore ways to boost trade in strategic sectors, such as renewable energy, green hydrogen and critical raw materials. This is important for the EU and UAE's common objectives of the green and digital transitions, as well as for strengthening economic security more broadly.
An FTA with the UAE would add to the EU's network of 44 trade deals with 76 countries – the world's largest network of trade agreements.
The first round of negotiations on the EU-UAE FTA began on 24 June 2025.
Latest news
EC-TRADE/2025/OP/0013: Trade Sustainability Impact Assessment (SIA) in support of Free Trade Agreement (FTA) negotiations between the European Union and the Gulf Cooperation Council countries
The European Union and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) have formally launched negotiations for a bilateral free trade agreement, opening the possibility of the first comprehensive EU trade deal in the Gulf region.
EC-TRADE/2025/OP/0013: Trade Sustainability Impact Assessment (SIA) in support of Free Trade Agreement (FTA) negotiations between the European Union and the Gulf Cooperation Council countries