UAE Accelerates Goods Transit with Digital System

The UAE's foreign trade sector has entered a new phase of digital transformation, as competent authorities began, on Monday, November 9, 2026, the implementation of an electronic system aimed at simplifying customs procedures for the temporary admission of goods, a move that provides companies and traders with a more flexible mechanism for processing transactions at border crossings.

The new system, known as "eATA Carnet," transforms temporary admission carnets from paper documents into electronic documents that can be issued and processed digitally, making the UAE the first country outside the European continent to adopt this system in its fully digital form.

The project was implemented in cooperation between Dubai Chambers, the Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs & Port Security, and Dubai Customs, in coordination with international bodies concerned with facilitating trade movement.

The system relies on digital documents and QR codes to record and track transactions, which reduces the need for paper handling, helps accelerate clearance operations, and improves the ability of customs authorities to monitor the movement of goods.

Data from Dubai Chambers indicates that since joining the temporary admission carnet system in 2011 until the end of 2025, the UAE has issued and received a total of 63,591 customs carnets for goods valued at approximately 54.4 billion dirhams.

The impact of this step is not limited to updating administrative services; it is expected to contribute to enhancing the UAE's attractiveness for hosting international exhibitions and trade events, and easing procedural burdens on companies, thereby supporting the country's competitiveness in the logistics and cross-border trade sector.