Garments made in India enter the United Arab Emirates free of customs duty dans le cadre de l’accord Inde-–UAE Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA), instead of the standard 5% GCC duty. The exemption depends on one document: a CEPA certificate of origin issued in India. This guide explains the certificate, the origin rule, et ce que ça sauve. Checked against official sources on 7 Octobre 2026.
Le taux, in one line
Standard UAE duty on imported clothing is the 5% GCC common external tariff, charged on the CIF value. Under CEPA, which has applied since 1 Peut 2022, UAE customs exempts goods of Indian origin from customs duty. This covers robes, caftans, skirts and scarves alike.
Le certificat d'origine
- Who issues it: an issuing agency in India, through the government’s electronic certificate-of-origin platform (Trade Connect). The certificate is electronic and carries a QR code that UAE customs can verify.
- Who uses it: the importer’s clearing agent in the UAE presents it with the import declaration to claim the exemption.
- Sans cela: the shipment pays the full 5% duty.
Does my garment qualify?
For garments, the CEPA origin rule is a change of tariff heading plus 40% value addition. In plain terms, the garment must be made in India from materials of a different kind, such as fabric cut and sewn into a dress, and at least 40% of its value must be added under the agreement’s rules. Garments cut and sewn in India from fabric normally meet the first test. The value-addition test depends on the cost of imported inputs, which is why the issuing agency checks it before it issues the certificate.
Ce que cela permet d'économiser sur un envoi
Take cotton dresses invoiced at AED 10,000, with AED 600 freight and AED 50 assurance. The customs value is CIF: AED 10,650.
| Sans certificat | With CEPA certificate | |
|---|---|---|
| Droit de douane | 5% = AED 532.50 | 0% = AED 0.00 |
| Import VAT, 5% de (valeur en douane + duty) | AED 559.13 | AED 532.50 |
The duty saving is AED 532.50 sur cet envoi. Import VAT is usually no cost to a registered business: a UAE VAT-registered importer does not pay it at the border. It self-accounts under the reverse-charge mechanism in its VAT return and recovers the same amount as input tax.
Common mistakes that lose the 0% rate
- Shipping without the certificate, or with details that do not match the invoice.
- Assuming that another Gulf state gives the same exemption. CEPA covers imports into the UAE only. Other GCC states charge the 5% common tariff unless they have their own agreement with India; Oman’s CEPA with India has applied since 1 Juin 2026.
Vérifiez votre propre vêtement
- Import duty on dresses from India to the UAE, avec une calculatrice
- caftans · Écharpes · Jupes
Nous fabriquons et exportons caftans, robes, skirts and scarves from India. We arrange the CEPA certificate of origin for every qualifying shipment. Parlez-nous about the UAE market.
Sources
- Press Information Bureau, Government of India: Inde–UAE CEPA entered into force (1 Peut 2022)
- UAE Ministry of Economy: Émirats arabes unis–India CEPA final text, rules of origin
- Abu Dhabi Customs: Émirats arabes unis–India agreement: Indian-origin goods exempt from customs duties
- UAE Government portal: Clearing the customs and paying customs duty
- Government of India: Trade Connect ePlatform (certificats d'origine)
Indicative information from official sources, écrit 7 Octobre 2026. Tarifs vérifiés sur contre les tarifs officiels. Ce n'est pas une décision douanière; confirm with your clearing agent before you rely on it.
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