Dubai Customs launched a comprehensive guide for all the services and facilities it provides to enable traders and businesses, who selected Dubai as their preferred investment destination, to increase their trade and boost their revenues.

The guide will be introduced to the participants and exhibitors of Expo 2020 Dubai.

Within the national efforts and preparations to fulfil the requirements of the bold plans and agendas including the UAE Centennial 2071 and the 50th year Jubilee, Dubai Customs has built a sophisticated smart network of channels that adds a big value to any business activity.

These included the Smart Expo 2020 Customs Channel, dedicated to serving the exhibitors at the global event. The channel was part of the UAE’s nomination portfolio in 2013 to host Expo 2020 in Dubai. Customs centres at Jebel Ali and Al Maktoum International Airport will help complete all Expo 2020 ’s customs transactions around the clock to ensure streamlined and quick customs processes, following directions of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai.

Smart EXPO Customs Channel will facilitate all customs transactions for the participants in Expo 2020 Dubai,” said Ahmed Mahboob Musabih, Director-General of Dubai Customs. “We have many outstanding services that can help advance trade and investments including the Authorised Economic Operator (AEO) programme, which was launched at the federal level to enhance external trade.


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There are now 80 companies’ members in the AEO whose external trade reaches Dhs20 billion. Dubai Customs has also launched the Cross Border e-commerce platform to woo more business and investments into the emirate. It is the first of its kind in the region and it aims to raise businesses’ share in e-commerce local and regional e-commerce to Dhs24 billion by 2024. Participants can now benefit from the second phase of the iDeclare App and the AI potential it has.

The app enables users to learn about the commodities they need to declare, simply by taking a photo of the item, which will then show the HS Code and any customs charges required. Users can also learn about the services and amenities available at Dubai International Airport, including restaurants, free zone, exit gates and others. The app helps the passenger pass through the red lane and complete their customs transactions in less than four minutes.

“All these facilities will not compromise on security. We have in place a number of advanced systems and programmes that will help further secure the borders and streamline trade activity. These include the Smart Risk Engine, the Smart Auditing System, the Integrated B2G Business Channel and the Smart Workspace. These sophisticated systems will help ensure 97.8 per cent of customs transactions are completed automatically without human intervention.” Last May, Dubai Customs organised the 5th WCO Global AEO Conference in cooperation with the World Customs Organisation and the UAE Federal Customs Authority. The conference saw the participation of nearly 100 speakers and 12,000 specialists from 160 countries. It was the first AEO conference to be held in the region.


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Dubai’s trade sector continued its growth exceeding the pre-COVID-19 period. The transactions completed by Dubai Customs reached 11.2 million in the first half of 2021, staggeringly growing 53.4 per cent from 7.3 million transactions in the corresponding period in 2020.

This reflects a versatile and resilient economy that can absorb severe shocks like that caused by the pandemic. It also reflects the vital role Dubai plays as a global trade hub and the resilience of its infrastructure and systems in dealing with tough challenges including COVID-19.

“Dubai is leading the global recovery way. The emirate’s non-oil external trade grew 10 per cent to Dhs354.4 billion in Q1, 2021, from Dhs323 billion in the corresponding period in 2020,” said Ahmed Mahboob Musabih.

 “We work with all our energy to develop systems and programmes that speed up the completion of transactions and the flow of foreign trade movement in the Emirate. This comes as part of our quest to realise the vision of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum to hit the Dhs2 trillion milestone in external trade.’’

“We developed several programmes and plans to facilitate trade including the recent ‘Electronic Confirmation of Exit/Entry’ initiative, which was launched in cooperation with DP World, UAE Region. The project eases the process of refund claims submission at Dubai Customs, saves time and cost, while further expediting the exports of all kinds of goods.

He added, “Dubai Customs has launched 24 initiatives, which are dedicated to serving the visitors and exhibitors of Expo 2020 Dubai. The initiatives are fully integrated with other government partners’ systems.”

 Dubai Customs completed 11.16 million transactions through smart and electronic channels (99.6 per cent). Nearly 7.9 million customs transactions (70.8 per cent) were completed through smart channels, 3.2 million (28.8 per cent) through electronic channels, and only 41,800 (0.37 percent) transactions were done manually. Customs declarations rose 66.6 per cent in the first six months of this year to reach 10 million declarations compared to six million declarations in the corresponding period in the previous year.

WAM