The Pacific States–United Kingdom Economic Partnership Agreement is a plurilateral free trade agreement between the United Kingdom and Fiji, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, and the Solomon Islands, designed to promote trade, investment, and sustainable development. It largely replicates the existing European Union–Pacific States Economic Partnership Agreement framework, maintaining preferential trade access, with Fiji and Papua New Guinea and later Samoa and Solomon Islands. The agreement is part of the UK's strategy to maintain and enhance trade relationships with developing countries following its departure from the European Union.
Backgrounds Following Brexit, the UK sought to replicate and adapt existing EU trade agreements with third countries to ensure continuity in trade. The UK-Pacific EPA is based on the EU-Pacific States Economic Partnership Agreement, reflecting similar provisions and objectives. The agreement was signed on 14 March 2019 and entered into force in 2021, with Samoa and the Solomon Islands acceding on 31 March 2022.
Members The agreement covers the following countries:
The Pacific States–UK Economic Partnership Agreement states that 10 other Pacific nations are currently eligible to apply for accession, Tonga has shown interest in acceding to the EPA:
Economic impact The agreement ensures that trade between the UK and Pacific States continues on preferential terms, avoiding a reversion to less favourable Most Favoured Nation (MFN) tariff rates. This continuity is estimated to prevent an annual increase of around £19 million in duties on imports from the Pacific region.
See also Economic Partnership Agreements Free trade agreements of the United Kingdom Foreign relations of Fiji Foreign relations of Papua New Guinea Foreign relations of Samoa Foreign relations of the Solomon Islands Foreign relations of the United Kingdom Fiji–United Kingdom relations Papua New Guinea–United Kingdom relations Solomon Islands–United Kingdom relations
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