As from 01 January 2021, Mauritius and the UK will trade under the United Kingdom (UK) - Eastern and Southern Africa (ESA) Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA).

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 UK-ESA EPA contains 3 chapters namely Trade in Goods, Fisheries and Development Cooperation.  Mauritius will continue to benefit from duty freem, quota free access on all products, including that of high export interest such as sugar, tuna, garments, agro processed products, on similar terms as the EU-ESA IEPA.  The Rules of Origin applicable are similar as well.  The use of the EUR 1 Certificate of Origin will be maintained. 

The Agreement provides an automatic derogation of 6,200 tons of non originating tuna that can be used in the production of canned tuna and 341 tonnes of tuna loins. This quota will be shared among Mauritius, Seychelles and Madagascar.  

The Agreement also contains a Rendez-Vous clause regarding future negotiation between ESA and the UK on areas not currently covered by the EPA, such as trade in services, investment, trade facilitation, competition policy, trade facilitation amongst others.

The text of the Agreement will be uploaded on the Trade Portal of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Regional Integration and International Trade on “Mauritius Trade Easy” (www.mauritiustrade.mu). 

 It can also be accessed on the UK website: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/ms-no42019-agreement-establishing-an-economic-partnership-agreement-between-the-eastern-and-southern-africa-states-and-the-uk