CEPA Coverage

99.8% of UAE exports to Costa Rica will benefit from immediate tariff elimination or gradual tariff reduction over a maximum of 10 years. Specifically, 97.4% of UAE exports to Costa Rica will benefit from immediate tariff elimination.

98% of Costa Rica exports to UAE will benefit from immediate tariff elimination or gradual tariff elimination over a 10 year-period. Specifically, 95.99% of Costa Rica exports to UAE will benefit from immediate tariff elimination.

For more information about the preferential tariff rates visit the Costa Rica Market Access Dashboard below.

Benefiting from the tariff elimination or reduction offered by the CEPA is not automatic. All exported goods must also meet the prescribed rules of origin and comply with health and safety requirements. For more information, please refer to the agreed rules of origin in the CEPA.

The UAE-CR CEPA makes it easier for goods to move across borders in a simple, less costly, and timely manner through trade facilitation and customs cooperation arrangements.

Under the CEPA local producers supplying the UAE market can obtain temporary relief from surges in imports that cause or threaten to cause serious injury to the domestic market or from situations where there are unfair trading practices.

If UAE exporters are facing such measures, they are guaranteed that investigations are conducted fairly and in accordance with the rules and should contact the Ministry of Economy, to help preserve access to the market through direct channels of communication set up by the CEPA.

Trade in Services

Sets clear and transparent rules to facilitate the cross-border supply of services, in addition to service providers enjoying favourable treatment across services sectors and subsectors, including professional services, logistics, maritime and financial services. For detailed information, please refer to the Trade in Services chapter, and its annexes on Schedules of Specific Commitments which includes the services sectors and sub-sectors.

Opportunities in Government Procurement

The CEPA provides bidders with access to government contracts by over 20 entities in various sectors such as education, sports, health and transport.

Intellectual Property Rights Protection and Enforcement

The CEPA complements existing international principles and standards for the treatment, protection, and enforcement of Intellectual Property Rights in a manner that is conducive to invention, innovation, and creativity.

Benefits for Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises

The CEPA recognizes the specific needs of SMEs and seeks to make it easy for SMEs and enterprises to grow their businesses and attract investment by providing information and putting in place joint platforms to assist SMEs in developing linkages and building capacities.

Investment Facilitation

The CEPA aims to promote and enhance investment flows, identify opportunities for expanding investment and overcoming investment impediments as well as collaborate and get feedback from the business community.

Supporting Trade in the Digital Age

The CEPA brings greater coherence to a continuously evolving digital trading landscape integral to today’s global economy. Enhancing confidence in digital trade and ensuring that digital trade flows benefit both businesses and consumers.

These disciplines include maintaining the practice of not imposing any customs duties on electronic transactions, reaffirming the importance of cybersecurity, and providing for an economic collaboration framework on digital trade issues.

Settlement of Trade Disputes

The CEPA’s state-to-state trade dispute settlement mechanism reinforces the partners’ commitment to trade liberalization that benefits the economy.

An Evolving Partnership

The UAE-CR CEPA contains commitments for deeper and future-looking cooperation among the two partners in a variety of areas and issues that will enhance trade liberalisation and foster investment opportunities.

CEPA puts in place administrative and communication structures comprised of designated focal points, committees and subcommittees that meet regularly and are tasked with the management and implementation of the different aspects of the CEPA.