Export Market Guide - Qatar

All regulatory information for exporting wine to Qatar, including the regulatory environment, duties and taxes, and permitted additives.

Qatar is a small country on the northeast coast of the Arabian Peninsula which shares one land border with Saudi Arabia. Qatar is a hereditary Emirate and has transformed from one of the poorest Gulf States to one of the world’s highest Gross Domestic Product (GDP) per capita with expectations for continued long range growth. Large oil reserves and the world’s third largest natural gas reserves has driven this growth and made Qatar an attractive Middle Eastern commercial market. In 2022, Qatar’s population of over 2.6 million was made up predominantly of foreign expats, particularly from India and Pakistan.

Qatar is a member of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), which includes Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. In 2003, the GCC implemented a Customs Union to reduce the trade barriers and remove the import tariff between GCC member states and to provide a common external import tariff for goods imported from non-GCC countries. Alcohol is one of the few products not covered by this common tariff rate as it is a sensitive item and prohibited in some GCC member states.

The United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia and Bahrain severed diplomatic ties with Qatar in June 2017 and blocked access (land, sea and air) for respective Qatar routes (Yemen, Egypt, Libya, Mauritius, Maldives, Comoros and Mauritania also cut diplomatic ties with Qatar; Jordan downgraded its representation). Movement of people is disrupted with a number of regional and international airlines announcing flight cancellations to/from Doha. These actions have been taken unilaterally by a number of countries. Australia, like many other countries, continues to trade with Qatar. Austrade is assisting Australian companies with shipping and transport queries on a case-by-case basis. See Austrade Qatar Market Profile for advice.

Free Trade Agreement negotiations with the GCC commenced in July 2007, however, the Council has paused its trade negotiations with all partners pending a review of its trade agreement policy. An Australia-GCC FTA is a priority for the Australian Government.

Qatar strictly controls the alcohol market. It is illegal to drink alcohol openly with consumption restricted to hotels and bars or at home. The only liquor store in Qatar is the government-controlled Qatar Distribution Company in Doha which is permitted to import alcohol. Expatriates must have a permit to purchase alcohol for personal consumption. The permit requires a letter from an employer confirming the applicant’s position, salary, accommodation, religious affiliation, marital status, valid passport and residency permit and must be lodged with a 1000 Riyal deposit. Alcohol may not be brought into Qatar, however, it may be purchased at Duty Free stores at the airport on the way out of the country. Alcohol may also be purchased on-premise in selected hotel bars and clubs in Qatar; however, customers are required to show their permit or their passport, and it must be strictly consumed on the premises.