The UAE has begun rolling out the eATA Carnet system with the support of Dubai Chambers, making it the first country outside Europe to adopt a fully digital platform for issuing and processing ATA Carnets.
The move replaces paper-based customs procedures, speeding up border clearance and giving businesses a smoother experience. It also forms part of the country’s wider digital transformation roadmap and strengthens its standing as a hub for international trade, major trade fairs and conferences.
Dubai Chamber of Commerce, one of the three chambers under Dubai Chambers, has served as the National Guaranteeing and Issuing Association for ATA Carnets since the UAE joined the system in 2011. It is leading the new phase in close cooperation with customs authorities and the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC), and is one of only 13 chambers worldwide, out of 1,200 ICC members, to implement the eATA Carnet.
Before the launch, the chamber ran a readiness programme that included technical coordination meetings with customs authorities, online sessions linking local officials with ICC experts and hands-on training workshops. It also led extensive pre-production testing to make sure every stakeholder was technically prepared.
Mohammad Ali Rashed Lootah, President and CEO of Dubai Chambers, said the milestone delivers a faster, more transparent and highly secure digital experience that helps companies expand globally.
From 2011 to 2025, a total of 63,591 ATA Carnets were issued and received for goods worth AED 54.4 billion.
Ahmed Abdullah bin Lahej Al Falasi, Acting Director General of Customs at the Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs and Port Security, said the system will improve efficiency, accelerate transactions and cut the time, effort and cost of temporarily admitting goods, while balancing trade facilitation with protection of the national economy.
News Source: WAM
