International Trade

International Trade

In an increasingly interconnected global economy, GCC businesses face heightened regulatory complexity driven by shifting trade policies, geopolitical tensions, and evolving enforcement priorities. With overlapping customs regimes, tightening export controls, and expanding compliance obligations, cross-border trade demands agile, strategic legal support.

Hourani advises leading corporates, multinationals, logistics providers, and investment platforms on the full spectrum of international trade, customs, and market access matters across the GCC and beyond. We support clients at every stage of the trade lifecycle, from tariff classification, customs valuation, market access, rules of origin, to sanctions compliance, supply chain structuring, and dispute resolution, ensuring operational efficiency in even the most complex jurisdictions.

Our practice is distinguished by its integrated, cross-disciplinary model. We work seamlessly across trade, tax, and corporate advisory, delivering coordinated solutions that align trade compliance with broader commercial objectives, whether optimizing entity location and supply chain design, managing indirect tax exposures, or securing access to preferential trade regimes. This holistic approach enables our clients to navigate cross-border operations with confidence, mitigated risk, and long-term strategic value.

Our areas of advisory range from internal customs compliance reviews and audits to negotiating free trade agreements and representing clients before regulatory authorities in customs related disputes.

  • Internal Customs Compliance Reviews
  • Compliance Audits
  • Authorized Economic Operator
  • Customs Valuation and Transfer Pricing
  • HS Classification
  • Rules of Origin
  • Government and Public Sector Lobbying
  • Free Trade Agreements
  • Duty Exemptions
  • Supply Chain Design
  • Transport and Movement of Goods
  • High Value Assets (military, vessels, aircraft)

Representative International Trade matters include:

  • A major British multi-national company in relation to compliance with the new and technical laws and regulations concerning export of tobacco products from the UAE to other GCC countries (potential savings of millions of US dollars over a period of five years)
  • An UK multi-national FMCG client in connection with potential adverse action from the Saudi customs authority which included advising on customs duty exemptions based on the GCC and World Trade Organization rules of origin (ca. US$30 million)
  • An US multi-national conglomerate on overlapping matters involving highly technical and separate legal aspects of World Trade Organization and GCC treaty rules on customs valuation, as well as OECD and local UAE and KSA rules on tax and transfer pricing (ca. US$4 million)
  • A regional supply chain and distribution company in a litigation matter involving breach of contract for the purchase of goods from a UK and US sanctioned Russian enterprise (ca. US$20 million)
  • One of the world’s largest accounting firms in advising its client on the global trade and customs law regime of Saudi Arabia
  • Multi-national clients in two disputes at the General Secretariat Tax Committee against the Zakat, Tax and Customs Authority in Saudi Arabia, in which our clients were successful on both counts (US$30 and US$20 million respectively)