Dubai Customs officially launched its Cross Border e-Commerce platform as part of its organized activities in the 3rd UAE Customs Week 2020.

The new blockchain based project is the first of its kind in the region and it aims to help the emirate become a global hub for e-commerce and encourage e-commerce companies set their businesses in Dubai.

The project, which was piloted in September 2019, comprises two phases. The first one was the blockchain platform to facilitate e-commerce export transactions through couriers and was completed last September. The second one will facilitate e-commerce import, declaration consolidation and automated refunds, and reduce fees and charges in addition to onboarding of Logistics companies on platform.

Sultan bin Sulayem, DP World Group Chairman & CEO and Chairman of Ports, Customs and Free Zone Corporation:

“We are building today on the exceptional successes achieved by Dubai. The Cross Border e-Commerce is one of many projects that Dubai Customs have embarked on to boost the trade of the UAE and Dubai following the directives and vision of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai of crossing the Dh2tr mark in Dubai external trade by 2025. I am confident this new platform will attract new direct investments into the country.

“The Cross Border e-Commerce platform will eliminate declaration submission time and reduce cost of e-commerce transactions and identify and certify e-commerce companies in order to serve them better. It will also provide 100% visibility to all stakeholders on e-commerce transactions and regulate goods return by linking trader and customs system to accept returns. The new project will also help reduce clients’ time and effort.”

In a statement delivered at the launch ceremony, Ahmed Mahboob Musabih, Director General of Dubai Customs said:

“We are proud to launch the Cross Border e-Commerce platform. It is one of a number of projects and plans that Dubai is working on to turn Dubai into a global hub and increase external non-oil trade following the leadership’s directives. It will also increase local e-commerce activity to Dh24b by 2022 and reduce cost of ecommerce transactions by 20%, which includes storage and shipment. The new Cross-Border e-Commerce blockchain platform will transform Dubai to a world class e-commerce hub that will benefit Dubai’s Economy and e-commerce ecosystems, and encourage e-commerce businesses to establish regional headquarters and setup distribution facilitates in Dubai in order to serve the region, and is expected to contribute Dh12b to the emirate’s GDP by 2023.

Dubai Customs will play a pivotal role in Dubai strategy which was launched by Dubai Executive Council, Chaired by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai. We are deeply thankful to Dubai Customs partners who supported the initiative and to our work teams who worked hard to make it a reality in support of Dubai status on global competitiveness indexes.”

The e-commerce market in the Middle East and North Africa grew 25% to make $8.3b (Dh30.4b) in 2017, and it’s expected to rise to $28.5b by 2022, which makes the region the fastest growing region in e-commerce worldwide with 25% annual growth.