Mauritius along with four (4) ESA States, namely Seychelles, Zimbabwe, Madagascar and Comoros, signed an Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) with the UK.
The UK- ESA EPA is a continuity agreement based on the EU -ESA interim Economic Partnership Agreement (iEPA). The provisions of the Agreement are similar to those of the EU-ESA iEPA.
The Agreement entered into force for Mauritius, Seychelles, Zimbabwe and the UK on 01st January 2021. Madagascar and Comoros have yet to ratify the Agreement.
The Agreement has three components namely trade in goods, fisheries and Development Cooperation.
Mauritian exporters enjoy duty free, quota free access on all products including products of export interest such as Tuna, Garments and Sugar.
The UK-ESA EPA contains a Protocol on Rules of Origin which set out the originating conditions to benefit from preferential access on the UK market. The rules are product-specific and can be one of the following types:
To benefit from preferential access under the Agreement, exporters should obtain a EUR1 Certificate of Origin certifying that the goods meet the Rules of Origin Criteria. The EUR1 Certificate of Origin is both issued and approved by the Customs Department of the Mauritius Revenue Authority (MRA). The electronic application for the EUR1 Certificate of Origin is submitted by authorised TradeNet users to the MRA Customs Department through the TradeNet system. More information on the EUR1 Certificate can be obtained from the Customs Department:
Mauritius Revenue Authority
Customs Department,
Customs House
Mer Rouge
Port Louis
Fax: (230) 216 7784
Email: customs@mra.mu
Website: www.mra.mu
The Agreement contains a detailed and elaborate chapter on fisheries which aims at optimising the benefits from fisheries through investment, capacity building and improved market access.
Key areas for cooperation include Infrastructure development, Productive sectors, Regional Integration, Trade Policy and Regulation, Agriculture and Private Sector Development.
The Agreement contains provisions to engage into future negotiation with the UK on areas not currently covered including trade in services, investment, trade facilitation, competition policy, trade facilitation amongst others.
The text of the Agreement can be accessed on the link below: Agreement establishing an Economic Partnership Agreement between the Eastern and Southern Africa States and the UK
