Bahrain Country Commercial Guide
Learn about the market conditions, opportunities, regulations, and business conditions in bahrain, prepared by at U.S. Embassies worldwide by Commerce Department, State Department and other U.S. agencies’ professionals
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Trade Barriers
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Bahrain applies a Common External Tariff (CET) of five percent on nearly all imported goods except for goods produced in the GCC and countries with which Bahrain has signed international trade commitments or bilateral trade agreements voiding the CET, including the United States. Certain goods, including paper and aluminum, are charged a 20 percent duty rate when imported into Bahrain.

Bahrain has ratified and adopted the GCC Common Law on Anti-Dumping, Countervailing Measures, and Safeguards. The legislation seeks to provide uniform protection to GCC industries from unfair international trade practices such as dumping (unfair pricing of imported products), countervailing subsidies, and an unjustifiable increase in the imports of certain goods (against which safeguards are implemented).

The following items are restricted and their import into Bahrain is allowed only with a No Objection Certificate (NOC), valid permit, or approval document issued by the relevant regulatory authority:

  • Live wild animals, including horses (excluding circus or performance animals)

  • Animals, birds and their by-products

  • Animal or vegetable fertilizers

  •  Insecticides and fungicides

  • Meat and meat products

  • Fish and seafood products

  • Fruit and vegetables

  • Plants

  • Radioactive chemicals and active isotopes

  • Food products (processed and unprocessed)

  • Pharmaceuticals

  • Medicines

  • Unadulterated ethyl alcohol, iso-propanol

  • Pedestrian-controlled four-wheel mini cars

  • Handcuffs made from iron/steel

  • Arms, ammunition, explosives and military weapons

  • Magazines and publications

  • Films and video

  • Optical and magnetic audio-visual media

  • Items infringing on intellectual property rights

  • Telecommunications, radio and television receiving and broadcasting equipment

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Global Business Navigator Chatbot Beta

Welcome to the Global Business Navigator, an artificial intelligence (AI) Chatbot from the International Trade Administration (ITA). This tool, currently in beta version testing, is designed to provide general information on the exporting process and the resources available to assist new and experienced U.S. exporters. The Chatbot, developed using Microsoft’s Azure AI services, is trained on ITA’s export-related content and aims to quickly get users the information they need. The Chatbot is intended to make the benefits of exporting more accessible by understanding non-expert language, idiomatic expressions, and foreign languages.

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As a beta product, the Chatbot is currently being tested and its responses may occasionally produce inaccurate or incomplete information. The Chatbot is trained to decline out of scope or inappropriate requests. The Chatbot’s knowledge is limited to the public information on the Export Solutions web pages of Trade.gov, which covers a wide range of topics on exporting. While it cannot provide responses specific to a company’s product or a specific foreign market, its reference pages will guide you to other relevant government resources and market research. Always double-check the Chatbot’s responses using the provided references or by visiting the Export Solutions web pages on Trade.gov. Do not use its responses as legal or professional advice. Inaccurate advice from the Chatbot would not be a defense to violating any export rules or regulations.

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