Kingdom of Bahrainمملكة البحرين
A financial services and logistics centre on the Gulf, joined to Saudi Arabia by the King Fahd Causeway. Banking, hospitality, and aviation drive steady demand for corporate and staff uniforms.
Gulf Cooperation Council · Apparel export desk
Source apparel for the Gulf Cooperation Council
The Gulf Cooperation Council, or GCC, is the customs union of Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates. It is one market with one common external tariff, one shared standards body, and more than 62 million people. We manufacture in the Philippines and ship to every member state. This hub explains how the bloc works and routes you to the right country guide, gateway, and product page.
- 6 member states, one customs union
- 5 percent common external tariff
- 62.8 million people in 2025
- Chapter 61 and 62 apparel scope
6 Member states
1981 Charter signed 25 May
2003 Customs union launched
5 percent Common external tariff
62.8 million People, Gulf Statistics 2025
Member states
Six states, one route to a quote
Each card carries the capital, the currency, the value added tax rate, and the character of the market, with a link to the full Philippines import guide and the national team jersey page for that state. Population figures are approximate.
State of Kuwaitدولة الكويت
A high income oil economy with large public sector and energy procurement. Government, oil and gas, and healthcare buyers order uniforms in volume, cleared through Shuwaikh and Shuaiba.
Sultanate of Omanسلطنة عمان
A bridge between the Gulf and the Indian Ocean, with the deepwater ports of Sohar and Salalah. Logistics, industry, and tourism support workwear and hospitality uniform demand.
State of Qatarدولة قطر
A compact, high income market built around Hamad Port and Hamad International Airport. Hospitality, sports events, and major construction keep demand strong for uniforms and event apparel.
Kingdom of Saudi Arabiaالمملكة العربية السعودية
The largest market in the bloc and the centre of gravity for the customs union. Vision 2030 giga projects, oil and gas, retail, and hospitality drive very large uniform and workwear programs, cleared through Jeddah and Dammam with conformity through SASO and SABER.
United Arab Emiratesالإمارات العربية المتحدة
The commercial capital of the region and a reexport hub. Dubai and Abu Dhabi buyers cover corporate wear, retail, hospitality, aviation, and event apparel, supported by Jebel Ali and two of the busiest airports in the world.
How the bloc works
One tariff wall, six customs authorities
The GCC is a genuine customs union, but it is not a single country. These six points are what an apparel buyer needs to hold in mind before quoting a landed cost.
- One charter, six statesThe six states signed the charter on 25 May 1981 and based the Secretariat General in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The union is political and economic, and its trade rules are set at bloc level and then applied nationally.
- A single external tariff wallThe customs union took effect on 1 January 2003 and applies a common external tariff of 5 percent to most goods, with a short list of excepted tariff lines. The integrated customs tariff was introduced on 1 January 2025.
- Free movement inside the unionOnce a consignment is cleared into any member state and enters free circulation, it can move to the other member states without paying duty a second time.
- Still six customs authoritiesEach state runs its own customs authority, its own value added tax, and its own enforcement. Clearance at the point of entry, and the documents filed there, still decide the landed cost.
- Apparel in Chapter 61 and Chapter 62Most apparel in HS Chapter 61 and Chapter 62 attracts the standard 5 percent duty on the CIF value, while some national protective lines run as high as 12 percent.
- One shared standards bodyThe Gulf Standardization Organization in Riyadh publishes the Gulf Technical Regulations and standards that the six states apply to products sold in the region.
Value added tax by member state
Value added tax is set nationally, not at bloc level, so it changes from one member state to the next even though the customs duty is common.
| Member state | VAT | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Saudi Arabia | 15 percent | Charged on the CIF value plus customs duty, filed through the Zakat, Tax and Customs Authority (ZATCA) on the FASAH platform. |
| Bahrain | 10 percent | Raised from 5 percent in 2022 and applied on the customs value plus duty. |
| United Arab Emirates | 5 percent | Applied on the customs value plus duty at the point of import. |
| Oman | 5 percent | Applied on the customs value plus duty at the point of import. |
| Qatar | No VAT yet | Qatar signed the GCC value added tax framework but has not implemented the tax. |
| Kuwait | No VAT yet | Kuwait signed the GCC value added tax framework but has not implemented the tax. |
Planning figures for 2026. Confirm the current rate and the tariff line with a licensed customs broker before contracting. For inter-regional trade architecture and joint feasibility updates, consult our ASEAN GCC Free Trade Agreement Guide.
Standards and conformity
One standards body for the region
The Gulf Standardization Organization sets the rules, and each state enforces them through its own authority. This is where an apparel program is won or lost at customs.
Gulf Standardization Organization
The GSO in Riyadh writes the Gulf Technical Regulations and the standards the member states adopt. Products covered by a Gulf Technical Regulation carry the Gulf Conformity Mark with a tracking symbol and QR code.
Bilingual Arabic and English labels
Apparel sold in the GCC normally needs sewn in labels in Arabic and English showing fiber composition, care instructions, size, and country of origin, with care symbols following ISO 3758.
Restricted substances
Textile rules limit azo dyes, formaldehyde, and heavy metals. Testing reports and a factory certificate of quality support clearance where the buyer or the broker asks for them.
National enforcement
Saudi Arabia runs the Saudi Standards, Metrology and Quality Organization (SASO) with the SABER portal for product and shipment certificates of conformity. The other states enforce through their own national standards bodies and customs platforms.
Gateways
Getting the goods to the Gulf
Sea, air, and road options into the customs union, with the main port and airport codes buyers use when they book freight.
Sea
Container and break bulk ports- Jebel Ali (AEJEA), United Arab EmiratesThe largest container port in the Middle East and the main transhipment hub for the Gulf, feeding the other member states.
- Jeddah Islamic Port (SAJED), Saudi ArabiaThe Red Sea gateway for the western Kingdom and a major transhipment stop between Asia and Europe.
- King Abdulaziz Port Dammam (SADMM), Saudi ArabiaThe Arabian Gulf gateway for the eastern province, linked by rail to the Riyadh Dry Port.
- Hamad Port (QAHMD), QatarQatar deepwater gateway at Umm Al Houl, handling about 95 percent of the country container trade.
- Khalifa Bin Salman Port, BahrainThe main Bahraini commercial port, joined to Saudi Arabia by the King Fahd Causeway.
- Shuwaikh and Shuaiba, KuwaitThe Kuwaiti commercial and industrial ports serving Kuwait City and the oil corridor.
- Sohar and Salalah (OMSLL), OmanThe Omani deepwater ports, with Salalah on the Indian Ocean and Sohar near the Strait of Hormuz.
Air
Cargo and bellyhold airports- Dubai (DXB) and Abu Dhabi (AUH), United Arab EmiratesTwo of the busiest air cargo hubs in the world, with widebody freighter capacity across the region.
- Doha (DOH), QatarThe Qatar Airways cargo base and a leading long haul transfer hub.
- Riyadh (RUH) and Jeddah (JED), Saudi ArabiaThe main Kingdom air gateways, with customs clearance around the clock.
- Dammam (DMM), Kuwait (KWI), Bahrain (BAH), and Muscat (MCT)Regional airports for direct restocks closer to the buyer.
Road
Land bridges and inland terminals- The GCC road networkSaudi Arabia is the land bridge. The King Fahd Causeway links Bahrain, and sealed highways link Kuwait, Qatar via Abu Samra, the United Arab Emirates via Ghuwaifat and Batha, and Oman via Hatta and Al Buraimi.
- Inland dry portsRiyadh Dry Port, Al Maktoum in Dubai, and other inland terminals let containers clear away from the quay and move by rail or road.
On the Philippine side, cargo loads at the Davao International Container Terminal (DICT) in Mindanao, at the ports of Manila, and at Cebu, with air freight from Manila, Clark, and Davao. Southern production can also route through the Hijo Special Economic Zone (HSEZ) in Tagum City, a PEZA proclaimed export hub with cold chain and its own international port.
What buyers order
Apparel programmes for Gulf organisations
Corporate, government, energy, hospitality, healthcare, and sports buyers across the six states order the same core categories from the Philippines.
Corporate and staff uniforms
Front desk, retail, aviation, and office uniforms in durable fabrics, with woven logos and bilingual care labels.
See uniformsPolo shirts for hospitality
Breathable knit polos for hotels, restaurants, and corporate teams, in custom Pantone colors.
See polo shirtsT shirts and blanks
Plain and printed T shirts for retail, events, and giveaways, in the weights Gulf buyers restock.
See T shirtsOil and gas workwear
High visibility, flame resistant, and heavy duty garments for energy and industrial sites.
See oil and gas workwearConstruction and manufacturing workwear
Hard wearing coveralls, trousers, and jackets for project and plant workforces.
See construction workwearNational team jerseys and fanwear
Sublimated national team and club jerseys for fans, retailers, and events across the region.
See national teamsCorporate gifts and giveaways
Branded bags, caps, drinkware, and event kits that ship alongside a uniform program.
See corporate giftsMedical and healthcare apparel
Scrubs, tunics, and clinical workwear for hospitals and clinics.
See healthcare workwear Sourcing desk
Plan the route, the payment, and the paperwork
The pages below take a GCC order from the Philippine factory floor to the destination gateway, with the payment and terminal detail in one place.
Sea Transport Services
Container and less than container load planning from Philippine terminals into Jebel Ali, Jeddah, Dammam, and Hamad.
Read the service pageAir Transport Services
Air cargo and bellyhold routing for urgent launches and time sensitive restocks into Dubai, Doha, Riyadh, and Jeddah.
Read the service pageRail Transport Services
Inland rail and intermodal planning once a container reaches a Gulf gateway.
Read the service pageDavao International Container Terminal (DICT)
The modern Mindanao container terminal that loads southern Philippine apparel consignments for Gulf sailings.
Open the terminal guideHijo Special Economic Zone (HSEZ)
The PEZA proclaimed food and export hub in Tagum City, with cold chain, the Hijo International Port, and a solar grid for Gulf bound production.
Open the zone profileModes of Payment
Telegraphic transfer, letter of credit, and card options for settling a GCC order in dollars or the destination currency.
Read the payment guideUniforms
The main uniform program page for corporate, school, and government buyers.
See uniformsCorporate Gifts and Giveaways
Branded merchandise and event kits for GCC corporate and government buyers.
See corporate gifts FAQ
Gulf Cooperation Council sourcing questions
Answers for early stage sourcing. Your quotation will state the commercial terms that apply to the actual order.
What is the Gulf Cooperation Council?
The Gulf Cooperation Council is a political and economic union of six states: Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates. Its charter was signed on 25 May 1981, and its Secretariat General is in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The six states share a customs union, a common external tariff, and a single standards body, the Gulf Standardization Organization.
Is the GCC a single customs territory for apparel?
For duty, mostly yes. The GCC customs union has applied a common external tariff since 1 January 2003, with a standard rate of 5 percent on most goods, including most apparel in HS Chapter 61 and Chapter 62. Once a consignment is cleared into a member state and enters free circulation, it can move to the other member states without a second duty. Each state still runs its own customs authority, its own value added tax, and its own enforcement, so the paperwork filed at entry still decides the landed cost.
What duty and tax applies to Philippine apparel entering a GCC state?
As a planning figure, most apparel lines attract a 5 percent customs duty on the CIF value, with some national protective lines up to 12 percent, plus value added tax that differs by state: 15 percent in Saudi Arabia, 10 percent in Bahrain, 5 percent in the United Arab Emirates and Oman, and no VAT yet in Qatar and Kuwait. Confirm the exact tariff line and the current rates with a licensed customs broker before contracting freight or producing labels.
Do GCC imports need Arabic labelling?
Yes. Apparel sold in the GCC normally needs bilingual Arabic and English labels showing fiber composition, care instructions, size, and country of origin, with care symbols following ISO 3758. An OEM or ODM order can include bilingual care and fiber labels, permanent origin markings, and buyer brand neck tags as part of production.
What is the Gulf Conformity Mark and does apparel need it?
The Gulf Conformity Mark, managed by the Gulf Standardization Organization, is applied to products covered by a Gulf Technical Regulation and carries a tracking symbol with a QR code. Textile products are regulated mainly through labelling and restricted substance limits rather than the mark itself, but Saudi Arabia adds a specific route through SASO and the SABER portal, which requires a Product Certificate of Conformity and a Shipment Certificate of Conformity. Confirm the scope with a conformity body before production.
How long does shipping from the Philippines to a GCC state take?
Sea freight from Manila, Davao, or Cebu to a Gulf gateway runs about 12 to 30 days port to port depending on the destination and the sailing. Air cargo from Manila or Clark to Dubai, Doha, Riyadh, or Jeddah is usually 1 to 3 days airport to airport, and courier service is 3 to 5 business days. Production normally takes three to six weeks after sample approval.
What is the minimum order for GCC apparel orders?
Custom OEM and ODM production starts at 50 pieces per design. Blank stock order minimums depend on the brand, color, and size mix, so share the target quantities and the export desk will confirm availability and the production slot.
Which currencies and payment terms can be quoted?
Quotes can be issued in US dollars and settled in the destination currency, including the Saudi Riyal, UAE Dirham, Qatari Riyal, Kuwaiti Dinar, Omani Rial, and Bahraini Dinar, by telegraphic transfer, letter of credit, or card as set out in the Modes of Payment guide.
Contact
Plan a shipment to the Gulf
Send the garment type, the destination member state and city, the target quantity, and the delivery window, and the export desk will come back with the routing, the packing plan, and the documents a GCC importer can file.