UAE moves closer to major Pacific trade bloc in new free-trade push

Dubai: The UAE will begin preparatory talks to join the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership, marking a fresh step in its push to widen market access and deepen trade links with economies across Asia-Pacific and the Americas.

The 12-member trade bloc said senior officials would begin preparatory discussions with the UAE, the Philippines and Indonesia, according to a joint ministerial statement released by Singapore on Friday.

UAE gets selected for talks

The CPTPP ministers said the UAE, the Philippines and Indonesia had been identified in November 2025 as being in line with the Auckland Principles, which guide how the bloc assesses potential new members.

“Further to that statement, we have now decided to begin preparatory discussions with those selected economies,” the ministers said.

They added that senior officials had been instructed to take the appropriate steps and report back.

The statement made clear that the discussions “do not constitute, guarantee, or preclude the launch of an Accession Working Group,” with all accession decisions still requiring consensus among CPTPP parties.

Why CPTPP matters for UAE trade

The CPTPP includes Australia, Brunei Darussalam, Canada, Chile, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Peru, Singapore, the United Kingdom and Viet Nam.

The grouping began as a US-backed trade initiative in the Asia-Pacific, but Washington withdrew in 2017. Japan, Canada, Australia and the UK are now among its largest members.

For the UAE, closer engagement with the CPTPP would fit into a wider trade strategy built around new economic partnerships, lower barriers for exporters and stronger access to fast-growing markets.

Membership would give UAE companies a clearer route into a trade framework that covers major consumer, industrial and logistics markets, although the process can be lengthy and politically demanding.

Expansion gathers pace

The CPTPP ministers also reaffirmed their commitment to formalise Costa Rica’s accession as soon as possible, after negotiations were substantially concluded in May 2026.

They welcomed progress on Uruguay’s application and instructed the relevant working group to move faster, with a report due at the next CPTPP Commission meeting.

The ministers said they remain committed to expanding the agreement while maintaining its high standards, including rules around customs, trade facilitation and rules of origin.

New customs focus

The bloc will also set up an ad hoc working group focused on rules of origin, customs administration and trade facilitation.

The move is aimed at protecting CPTPP preferences and reducing the risk of unfair trade practices, including circumvention and illegal transshipment.

Japan will host a workshop in July 2026 as part of cooperation with the European Union and ASEAN.

- With inputs from Bloomberg.