No.CLE-HO/POL/Circular/2022
March 29, 2022Members of the Council,

Sub : India – UAE Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA)

Dear Sir,

As you are kindly aware India & UAE signed a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) on Feb.18, 2022.  The Ministry of Commerce & Industry, Govt. of India has now published the tariff schedule on India & UAE under the aforesaid agreement.  Copy of the following schedules are enclosed herewith.  As per the announcement made by Honbl’e Union Minister of Commerce and Industry Shri Piyush Goyal, the India – UAE CEPA may come into force from May 1, 2022.

·        Schedule of Specific Tariff Commitments of United Arab Emirates (UAE) on Trade in Goods (for exports from India to UAE)

·        Schedule of Specific Tariff Commitments of India on Trade in Goods (for imports into India from UAE)

As per the schedule the following are the tariff exemption/concession. 

·        UAE has provided import duty exemption (i.e. 0% duty) to India for export of items namely Leathers – Chapter 41, Leather Products (including Saddlery & Harness items and Leather Garments) – Chapter 42, Footwear & Components – Chapter 64 and also fur and fur products – Chapter 43. 

·        India has offered 0% duty for leather (Chapter 41) and leather products (Chapter 42), Fur and Fur Products (Chapter 43) but for footwear some categories are placed under exclusion list (no tariff reduction) and for some categories the tariff will be reduced to zero in seven years.  For footwear components under 6406 tariff will be reduced to zero in five years. 

The link wherein the details of the CEPA including Rules of Origin etc is given below, which may kindly be referred,

https://commerce.gov.in/international-trade/trade-agreements/comprehensive-economic-partnership-agreement-between-the-government-of-the-republic-of-india-and-the-government-of-the-united-arab-emirates-uae/

Members may kindly note the above.

Thanks & regards,

R.Selvam
Executive Director