Epa-Pacific – Pacific Islands. New Markets. New Opportunities.

objectives

The EU – Pacific EPA was ratified by the European Parliament in January 2011 and by Papua New Guinea in May 2011. The government of Fiji started applying the agreement in July 2014. Samoa acceded to the Agreement in December 2018 and is applying it since then. Solomon Islands also acceded to the Agreement in May 2020 and is applying it since then.

Tonga and Timor-Leste have informed the European Commission that they intend to join the EPA.

The EU – Pacific EPA opens up trade in goods with the EU.

The agreement includes

duty-free and quota-free access to the EU market for all goods coming from EPA Pacific states
asymmetric and gradual opening of their markets to EU goods, taking full account of differences in levels of development and sensitive sectors
exclusion of some sensitive sectors and products from liberalization on the Pacific side
the possibility of Pacific States to reintroduce duties and quotas if imports from the EU disturb or threaten to disturb their local economies
rules on technical barriers to trade and sanitary and phytosanitary measures to help Pacific exporters meet EU import standards
efficient customs procedures and enhanced co-operation between administrations
improved rules of origin for processed fisheries products from the Pacific – the so-called “global sourcing” provision which is intended to boost job creation and development in the region.

Benefiting countries

Possible future benefiting countries

Fiji
Papua New Guinea
Samoa
Solomon Islands

Tonga expressed its intention to accede the EPA
Timor-Leste expressed its intention to accede the EPA
The agreement remains open to accession by the other ACP Pacific countries

Asymmetric provisions in favour of Pacific countries

The EU-Pacific EPA foresees asymmetric provisions in favour of Pacific countries, such as the exclusion of sensitive products from liberalisation, long liberalisation periods, flexible rules of origin, in addition to special safeguards and measures for agriculture, food security and infant industries.

png-eu business, trade and investment conference, october 30th 2023

The culmination of project activities will be the Fourth PNG-EU Business, Trade and Investment Conference in 2023, with participation from across PNG and the Pacific EPA states. A must be at event for businesses from the EU and the Pacific Islands.

Bookmark this website as we will be adding content, useful business guides, market reports and links to business trade and investment organisations.

In the meantime, for more information, please contact the Director of the Project in the EU via our contact page.

News

See our new publications

Here are our new guidelines for doing business between the EU and Pacific Islands.

Hot off the press, our new report on opportunities between the EU and Pacific States.