UAE says trade talks with Japan and EU making progress

The UAE’s talks on comprehensive economic partnership agreements (Cepas) with Japan and the European Union (EU) are at an advanced stage, a UAE minister has said.

“Negotiations with Japan and the EU have made substantial progress, with the second round of talks scheduled for the second week of next December,” the UAE state-run Wam news agency reported quoting minister of foreign trade Dr Thani bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi.

He added that negotiations with Nigeria and the Mercosur, or South American trade bloc, are moving forward and could be concluded in the coming weeks.

Al Zeyoudi said that the UAE is continuing Cepa negotiations with several countries of significant weight in the global economy and international trade.

According to the minister, the UAE’s total non-oil trade exceeded AED2.7 trillion during the first nine months of 2025, up 25 percent year on year. The non-oil trade in the third quarter topped AED1 trillion.

The country’s non-oil exports rose more than 42 percent during the first nine months of 2025, with imports increasing by 23 percent and re-exports by 15 percent, reflecting diversification of the UAE’s foreign trade structure.

Gold, diamonds, precious metals, aluminum, copper, and perfumes were among the key commodities that boosted the UAE’s global trade.

Al Zeyoudi said that the agreements, implemented for more than a year, have yielded positive results.

Trade grew by 19 percent with India, 17 percent with Turkey, 5 percent with Indonesia, 45 percent with Cambodia, and more than 100 percent with Costa Rica during the first nine months of 2025, he said.