United Arab Emirates Trade Policy Review

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This article reviews WTO's first Review of UAE trade policies. The WTO conducts surveillance of member countries’ trade policies through a trade policy review mechanism. The evaluation is conducted against the background of economic and developmental needs, policies and objectives of the member concerned, and the member’s external environment. The trade policy review also examines the impact of a member’s trade policies and practices on the multilateral trading system. This article’s approach is to elaborate on concerns that were not adequately developed, given the breadth of the Review’s coverage. The first is domestic property rights protection and the contracting of investment treaties to strengthen property rights protection and promote foreign direct investment. The second is barriers to competition. The article uses free trade zones to make the case that in the absence of foreign investment and competition barriers, which free trade zones epitomise, foreign investment is promoted.

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