The government of the Maldives has revealed that it made significant progress in its efforts to receive duty exemption for fish exports to the European Union (EU). The statement was made after the 4th Maldives-EU Senior Officials Meeting concluded in Brussels, Belgium.
At the meeting, the EU congratulated the Maldives on its accession to the Organisation of African, Caribbean and Pacific States (OACPS) and welcomed the country among the signatories of the new EU-OACPS Agreement, which will further enhance the EU-Maldives partnership as well as regional integration. The Maldives and the EU discussed how the accession to the new EU-OACPS agreement should provide a pathway for the Maldives to negotiate accession to the OACPS Eastern and Southern African Group’s interim Economic Partnership Agreement with the EU, which provides for tariff-free access to the EU market, including for tuna products. The Maldives and the EU discussed the concrete steps in the coming months.
The government has been holding discussions to receive duty exemptions for fish exports to the EU and the United Kingdom (UK). President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih has said that the biggest concern for fishermen is the duty levied on fish exports, which prevents them from selling their catch at an adequate price. He highlighted that Europe and the UK levy a 24% duty on Maldivian fish products while no duty is levied on other Indian Ocean countries.
The Maldives previously exported fish to Europe without duty. However, the duty was levied after the Maldives transitioned from a developing country to a middle-income country.