10+
Active Trade Agreements
1.5Billion Consumers
Billion Consumers
100+
Partner Countries
95%
Agricultural Goods Liberalization with Europe

About Egyptian Trade Agreements

Agreements and Foreign Trade Department

As part of Egypt's commitment to deepening its integration into global trade and transitioning to an open economy, it has concluded and joined numerous bilateral, regional, and multilateral trade agreements. This enables Egyptian exports to access markets with over 1.5 billion consumers worldwide, granting imports from countries with which trade agreements have been concluded partial or full exemptions from customs duties and taxes, recognizing the role of trade agreements as a key pillar in creating a competitive environment and providing products needed by the Egyptian market.

In this context, efforts are being made to manage trade negotiations at bilateral, regional, and multilateral levels to achieve greater market access and enhance trade in goods and services. This includes monitoring the implementation of trade agreements, addressing any obstacles facing exports or imports, and raising awareness among the business community about the benefits these agreements provide.

Trade agreements provide customs exemptions and reductions for exchanged goods according to established rules of origin, which enhances the competitiveness of Egyptian products in foreign and domestic markets and contributes to attracting foreign investments seeking to benefit from preferential advantages.

All Trade Agreements

0

Greater Arab Free Trade Area (GAFTA)

⭐ Multilateral
18 Arab Member Countries
1998 Entry into Force

Entered into force 1/1/1998 — 18 Arab countries — Applies to all goods except prohibited products or those produced in free zones.

Full customs exemption between committed member states (15 countries)
Detailed Arab rules of origin since June 2020
Transit transport agreement between Arab countries
Electronic certificate of origin accepted
Executive annexes mandatory from 1/9/2024
Agreement on liberalizing trade in services since 2019
Yemen, Sudan, and Palestine treated as least developed countries
Somalia joined May 2023 — implementation pending
Arab Multilateral Goods and Services Electronic Origin

Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA)

Regional African
21 Member Countries
2000 Free Trade Area

Egypt signed accession in 1998 — 90% exemption from 17/2/1999 — full exemption since establishment of Free Trade Area in 2000.

15 countries apply full exemption including Egypt, Kenya, Sudan, Mauritius, Tunisia, and Libya
Eritrea: 80% exemption — Ethiopia: 10% reduction
Eswatini, DR Congo, and Somalia: no exemptions
Uganda maintains a sensitive goods list limiting Egyptian exports
African Regional 21 Member Countries

Egyptian-European Partnership Agreement

🇪🇺 European
27 Member Countries
2004 Entry into Force

Immediate access for Egyptian industrial exports — full import liberalization January 2019 — 95% liberalization of agricultural goods.

Immediate duty-free access for Egyptian industrial exports — partial access for agricultural
15-year transitional period for industrial imports — liberalization completed January 2019
95% liberalization of agricultural and processed agricultural products at Egypt's request
Requires compliance with Euro-Mediterranean rules of origin (to be replaced by new regional convention)
27 member states following UK withdrawal in 2021
Industrial Agricultural 95% قواعد منشأ أورومتوسطية تحرير كامل 2019

Free Trade Agreement with EFTA

🇨🇭 EFTA
4 Member Countries
2007 Entry into Force

Switzerland, Norway, Liechtenstein, Iceland — signed January 2007 in Davos — full liberalization of industrial exports immediately, imports after 13 years.

Full liberalization of Egyptian industrial exports from all customs restrictions since 2007
Gradual liberalization of industrial imports over 13 years — currently fully exempt
Bilateral treatment of agricultural products with each country separately
Allows origin accumulation within the Euro-Mediterranean rules of origin framework
Preparing to negotiate a protocol on processed agricultural products
سويسرا النرويج آيسلندا ليختنشتاين Origin Accumulation

Free Trade Agreement with Turkey

🇹🇷 Turkey
2007 Entry into Force
2020 Full Industrial Liberalization

Immediate access for Egyptian industrial exports — gradual import liberalization over 13 years — completed January 2020.

Immediate duty-free access for Egyptian industrial exports since March 2007
Gradual liberalization of industrial imports over 13 years — completed January 2020
Partial access for agricultural and processed agricultural exports and imports
Requires compliance with Euro-Mediterranean rules of origin with possibility of origin accumulation
Industrial Agricultural جزئي قواعد منشأ أورومتوسطية

Agadir Agreement for Arab-Mediterranean Free Trade

Arab Mediterranean
4 Member Countries
2007 Actual Implementation Start

Members: Egypt, Tunisia, Morocco, Jordan — entered into force 6/7/2006 — immediate full customs exemption — actual implementation began March 2007.

Full exemption from customs duties immediately upon notification to customs ports
Requires compliance with Euro-Mediterranean rules of origin
Allows origin accumulation: using components from any party considered as national origin for the exporter
Cornerstone for deepening Arab-Mediterranean economic integration
مصر تونس المغرب الأردن Origin Accumulation

Free Trade Agreement with MERCOSUR

Latin America
4 Member Countries
2017 Entry into Force

Brazil, Argentina, Paraguay, Uruguay — signed August 2010 — entered into force September 2017 — gradual liberalization over 10 years.

First list: Immediate exemption upon entry into force of the agreement
Second list: 25% annual reduction
Third list: 12.5% annual reduction
Fourth list: 10% annual reduction
Fifth list: Sensitive goods — liberalization to be determined by Joint Committee
البرازيل الأرجنتين باراجواي أوروجواي 10-Year Liberalization

African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA)

African Multilateral
55 African Union Member States
2021 Actual Implementation Start

Egypt signed March 2018 — entered implementation January 2021 — preferential trade for 90% of non-sensitive goods since October 2022 (GTI initiative).

55 member states — 46 ratified — all signed except Eritrea
12 countries currently apply tariff reductions, including Egypt
Investment, intellectual property, and competition protocols — adopted at February 2023 summit
Digital trade, women, and youth protocol — adopted at February 2024 summit
Agreement on rules of origin for clothing, textiles, and automobiles — Cairo September 2025
1.3 billion people in the target market
African Multilateral Goods and Services Investment Digital Trade

Egyptian-UK Partnership Agreement

🇬🇧 UK
2020 Signing Date
2021 Entry into Force

Signed December 5, 2020 — entered into force January 1, 2021 — its provisions mirror the European agreement in liberalizing industrial and agricultural goods.

Under Presidential Decree No. 685 of 2020 published December 24, 2020
Provisions mirror the Egyptian-European agreement in liberalizing agricultural and industrial goods
Commitment to tariff quota volumes in agricultural and food product annexes
Requires compliance with rules of origin stipulated in the agreement
Industrial Agricultural Post-Brexit

Free Trade Agreement between Egypt and Serbia

🇷🇸 Eastern Europe
2024 Signing Date
2025 Entry into Force

Signed July 2024 during Serbian President's visit to Egypt — entered into force September 1, 2025 — gradual liberalization of industrial, agricultural goods, and fisheries.

Industrial: List (A) immediate liberalization — (B) gradual 4 years — (C) gradual 10 years — (D) excluded
Agricultural, fisheries and their products: full liberalization — partial liberalization — excluded goods
Provides for elimination of customs duties and quantitative restrictions according to lists annexed to the agreement
Requires compliance with Euro-Mediterranean rules of origin to benefit from the agreement
Industrial Agricultural Fisheries قواعد منشأ أورومتوسطية