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UAE to eliminate import tariffs on Japanese steel over 10 years under CEPA

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BigMint Bureau

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11 Mar 2026, 11:18 IST

UAE to eliminate import tariffs on Japanese steel over 10 years under CEPA

CEPA to boost direct, indirect steel demand for Japan

Japan's steel exports to UAE reach 1 mnt in 2025

Japan Metal Daily: Japan and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) have concluded negotiations for a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) on 5 March 2026. Under the agreement, tariffs on steel products will be eliminated within approximately 10 years, supporting Japan's exports of hot-rolled steel sheets and steel pipes.

In 2025, Japan's steel exports to the UAE are estimated to have reached nearly 1 million tonne (mnt), with hot-rolled coils (HRCs) accounting for just under 800,000 tonnes (t) of the total. The UAE hosts Al Ghurair Iron and Steel (AGIS), a sheet re-rolling company partly owned by Nippon Steel, maintaining a strong business relationship through the supply of HRCs as the base material. Currently, the UAE levies a 5% import tariff on hot steel, which the CEPA aims to eliminate. The UAE also hosts Al Gharbia Pipe Company (AGPC), a steel pipe manufacturer invested in by JFE Steel and Marubeni-Itochu Steel, which imports thick plates as its base material. In 2025, Japan exported around 20,000 t of thick speciality steel plates to the UAE.

The current uncertain situation in Iran has resulted in widespread travel cancellations to the UAE and other Middle Eastern countries, while many expatriates in the region are either being evacuated or temporarily returning to their home countries.

However, over the medium to long term, the CEPA will also remove tariffs on automobiles and construction machinery, which is expected to support not only direct steel exports but also indirect steel demand through these sectors. On 6 March 2026, Tadashi Imai, Chairman of the Japan Iron and Steel Federation, issued a statement expressing his appreciation that the outcome was the result of the efforts of those involved in the Japanese government.

Note: This article has been written in accordance with a content exchange agreement between Japan Metal Daily and BigMint.