Samoa concludes negotiations with the European Commission for the Pacific iEPA
(L-R) ACEO Francella Strickland & CEO Peseta Noumea Simi (MFAT) with Ms Diana Acconcia and Mr Moustapha Magumu of the European Commission
The European Commission has endorsed Samoa’s Market Access Offer for accession to the Pacific Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) signalling the end of negotiations between Samoa and the European Commission.
Ms Diana Acconcia, Head of the Trade Unit of the European Commission, presented the Commission’s official confirmation to Ms Peseta Noumea Simi, Chief Executive Officer of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade on Monday 23rd April 2018 at the Commission’s Headquarters in Brussels, Belgium.
The milestone achievement brings Samoa one step closer to completing its accession to the iEPA, a trade agreement concluded in 2007 between Fiji, PNG and the EU, pending the negotiation of a comprehensive agreement with other Pacific members.
Samoa’s Market Access Offer was formulated in close consultation with national stakeholders and takes into consideration Samoa’s national development priorities as well as its capacity to implement the obligations.
Currently, Samoa made products can enter the EU market duty-free and quote free until the end of December 2018 when the transitional arrangement for graduated Least Developing Country’s expires. Samoa’s accession to the EPA will ensure minimal disruption to Samoa’s exports to the EU market.