16 February 2024
Samoa hosted the 9th Trade Committee Meeting of the Interim Economic Partnership Agreement (IEPA) between the European Union (EU) and Pacific States from 6 to 7 February 2024 at the Taumeasina Island Resort. The EU-Pacific Trade Committee is responsible for all matters necessary for the implementation of the EU-Pacific iEPA. This is the first meeting hosted by Samoa since her accession to the Agreement, and the first in-person meeting of the Trade Committee since COVID-19.
Senior Officials of IEPA Parties discussed the implementation progress of the IEPA and areas of where development cooperation could be strengthened given the Samoa Agreement and the green transition initiatives of the EU. In addition, the meeting was an excellent opportunity for Parties to consider key trade priorities such as Kava exports development, agriculture value chains, geographical indications, investment and trade in services. They further welcomed the potential accessions of Niue, Tonga, Tuvalu, Vanuatu, the Federated States of Micronesia and Timor Leste to the IEPA.
The 9th Trade Committee Meeting was attended by delegations from the four Pacific Parties (Fiji, Papua New Guinea, Samoa and Solomon Islands) and the EU as well as observer countries (Tonga, Vanuatu, Tuvalu, Niue, Timor Leste and the Federated States of Micronesia).
Samoa has been an iEPA Pacific Party since 2018 following the expiration of preferential trade relations under the EU’s “Everything but Arms” initiative. In preparation of the expiry of these preferences, Samoa took part in negotiating an Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) between the EU and Pacific countries that are part of the African, Caribbean and Pacific States (ACP) also known as Pacific ACP or PACPs. The EPA allows for duty free access for commodities from the ACP states on the basis that ACP states will reduce duty on EU imports base on each state’s Market Access Offer (MAO). Six EPAs were negotiated between the EU and ACP states, four with the African region, one for the Caribbean and one for the Pacific.
Support is available under the Pacific Regional Integration Support (PRISE) programme of the 11th EDF to enable Private Sector parties to take advantage of the market access opportunities provided through the EU-Pacific iEPA. The meeting was also made possible with the support of the Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat SPIRIT Unit.
Samoa’s delegation included senior representatives from the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries, Ministry of Customs and Revenue, the Central Bank of Samoa, Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Labour, and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade.
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SOURCE – Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade
