Burundi

As a low-income economy, Burundi is a beneficiary of the EU's "Everything but Arms" (EBA) scheme for least developed countries. Currently, Burundi's per-capita income stands at $ 240 (2022). Preferential imports from Burundi amounted to €431.000 in 2022. Given that the total EU imports from Burundi currently amount to about € 26 million, only a small share is imported under EBA preferences.

What is the EBA?

The “Everything but Arms”(EBA) scheme is a permanent arrangement covering Least Developed Countries (LDC’s) as classified by the United Nations. This arrangement enables duty-free and quota-free access for all products (7200 products in total) originating in LDC’s except for arms and ammunition. Different from the Standard GSP and GSP+, LDC’s are not excluded from the scheme if they benefit from other preferential arrangements.

Burundi flag

At a glance: EBA beneficiaries' preferential imports to the EU

group

12,89 M

Population

account_balance
Presidential Republic

Government

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1,80%

GDP Growth

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16.10%

Inflation

money

$ 3,34 B

GDP

14 -

Freedomhouse index

5+ -

ITUC Global Rights Index

35.5 ^

Environmental Performance Index

Facts about Burundi's economy

Export Products

Burundi's most important export products are coffee, black tea, and a number of metallic ores (including for example tantalum, tin, and tungsten). Coffee and Tea together account for about 90% of Burundi's export earnings.

Trade Partners

Burundi's main trading partners are China, Saudi Arabia, and the EU. The largest share of Burundi's export products (24%) goes to Congo (Democratic Rep) while the majority of imports originates from China and Saudi Arabia.

Economic Structure

The economy is very dependent on the agricultural sector, with cotton, coffee and tea being the most important crops. The sector contributes about 27.5% to the GDP, although it employs about 80% of the population. Manufacturing mostly concentrates on the processing of these agricultural outputs. Private sector development is significantly hampered by limited access to electricity, particularly in the mining and tourism sectors where the country still has untapped potential.

Development Challenges

Burundi is a landlocked and resource-poor country in Central Africa which remains heavily dependent on agriculture. With a decreasing share of subsistence farming, food security has become an even more important challenge. The level of food insecurity is almost twice as high as in the average sub-Saharan country.

Trade with the EU

Total trade with the EU summed up to € 115 million in 2022. With a share of 11%, the EU is Burundi's third most important trading partner.

Usage of EBA Preferences

Less than 2% of EU imports from Burundi make use of EBA preferences. The preference utilisation rate, which represents the ratio of preferential imports to GSP eligible imports, currently stands at 82.6%.

Burundi and the EU (2022)

Imports from Burundi by product section

Imports from Burundi over time (in € m)

BURUNDI AND THE EU’s GSP

Economic Impact

2%

Only a tiny fraction of Burundi's exports are eligible for EBA preferences.

82.60%

With a preference utilisation rate of 82.6%, Burundi makes good use of the preferences granted by the EU's EBA arrangement.

Preference utilisation and export diversification

Burundi's imports to the EU

Preference Utilisation vs. total eligible imports

Burundi’s preference utilisation rate showed significant fluctuations. While almost no preferences were used in 2012 and 2013, the rate increased substantially until 2016, before it declined again. Overall, imports from Burundi that make use of EBA preferences remain small. Nonetheless, all imports from two main product sections, live trees and plants, fruits and vegetables, and animal and vegetable fats and oils, made use of the duty suspensions granted by the EBA. Imports from some product sections, including for example machinery, currently do not make use of EBA preferences.

The largest product sections under EBA

Fruit, nuts, vegetables and plants account for the majority of EU imports from Burundi. These products are, however, imported under MFN zero duties. Until 2019, products imported under the EBA were limited to two sections (live trees and plants, and fruits, nuts and vegetables). In 2022, silk, wool, cotton, other fibres and fabrics as well as plastic products, cereals and grains are among the products that benefit from preferential rates, and the country made full advantage of the EBA scheme.

SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT

As a beneficiary of the EBA, Burundi is not obligated to ratify any conventions to be able to benefit from preferential access to the European market. Nonetheless, Burundi has ratified all 15 core international conventions on human and labour rights. This includes 7 UN human rights conventions and 8 ILO conventions on labour standards. Additionally, Burundi has ratified 8 conventions on environmental protection and 4 conventions on good governance aspects.

Core international conventions on human rights and labour standards

Ratified

  • Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide (1948)
  • International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination (1969)
  • International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (1976)
  • International Covenant on Economic Social and Cultural Rights (1976)
  • Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (1981)
  • Convention Against Torture and other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (1987)
  • Convention on the Rights of the Child (1990)
  • Convention concerning Forced or Compulsory Labour, No 29 (1930)
  • Convention concerning Freedom of Association and Protection of the Right to Organise, No 87 (1948)
  • Convention concerning the Application of the Principles of the Right to Organise and to Bargain Collectively, No 98 (1949)
  • Convention concerning Equal Remuneration of Men and Women Workers for Work of Equal Value, No 100 (1951)
  • Convention concerning the Abolition of Forced Labour, No 105 (1957)
  • Convention concerning Discrimination in Respect of Employment and Occupation, No 111 (1958)
  • Convention concerning Minimum Age for Admission to Employment, No 138 (1973)
  • Convention concerning the Prohibition and Immediate Action for the Elimination of the Worst Forms of Child Labour, No 182 (1999)

Additional Conventions

  • Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (1973)
  • Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer (1987)
  • Basel Convention on the Control of Transboundary Movements of Hazardous Wastes and Their Disposal (1989)
  • Convention on Biological Diversity (1992)
  • The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (1992)
  • Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety (2000)
  • Stockholm Convention on persistent Organic Pollutants (2001)
  • Kyoto Protocol to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (1998)
  • United Nations Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs (1961)
  • United Nations Convention on Psychotropic Substances (1971)
  • United Nations Convention against Illicit Traffic in Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (1988)
  • United Nations Convention against Corruption (2004)

EU-Burundi Bilateral Development Assistance

DG INTPA

Access all info about EU-Burundi Faso relations on the International Partnerships website: https://international-partnerships.ec.europa.eu/countries/burundi_en

Opportunities in Burundi

  • Further potential in the exploitation of mineral resources. Burundi has significant deposits of nickel, vanadium, uranium and phosphates.
  • A number of projects aim at modernising and diversifying the agricultural production

Contact points