Democratic Republic of Congo

As a least-developed country (LDC), the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) is a beneficiary of the EU's "Everything but Arms" (EBA) arrangement. The World Bank considers the DRC a low-income economy with a per-capita income of $647 in 2024. EU imports from the DRC amounted to about €2.3 billion in 2024, after €1.7 billion in 2023. As most of the DRC's exports enter the EU duty-free under the EU's normal tariff regime, the scope for preferential imports is limited - these reached €2.7 million in 2024, substantially more than in previous years.

What is the EBA?

The EBA arrangement covers all LDCs as classified by the United Nations. This arrangement enables duty-free and quota-free access for all products originating in LDCs except for arms and ammunition. Unlike beneficiaries of the Standard GSP and GSP+, LDCs are not excluded from the scheme if they benefit from other preferential arrangements or agreements with the EU.

At a glance: EU preferential imports from EBA beneficiary countries (2024, € million)

group

109.3M (2024)

Population

account_balance

Semi-Presidential Republic

Government

trending_up

6.7% (2024)

GDP Growth

equalizer

17.7% (2024)

Inflation

money

$ 70.7B (2024)

GDP

Facts about the Democratic Republic of Congo's economy

Resource Wealth

The Democratic Republic of Congo is considered the world’s richest country in terms of wealth in natural resources. Most of the raw mineral deposits remain untapped and are worth an estimated $24 trillion. These deposits include the world’s largest coltan reserves and considerable amounts of cobalt.

Export Products

Congo's most important export products are refined and unrefined copper, cobalt, gold, and other ores. The most important agricultural export product are cocoa beans.

Trade Partners

Congo's most important trading partner is China, with South Africa, and the UAE in a distant second and third place. China was the destination of 58% of DR Congo's exports in 2024, followed by South Africa and Hong Kong. China is also the most important supplier (25% of Congo's total imports in 2024).

Economic Structure

The economy is mainly driven by mineral extraction including copper, cobalt, zinc, manganese, diamonds, and others. The manufacturing sector contributes about 18% to Congo's GDP (2023) and centres around consumption industries (processed food and beverages, cigarettes, cloth, leather, etc.) and supply industries (including spinning and weaving, chemicals, and machinery).

Usage of EBA Preferences

Because DR Congo's most important exports enter the EU duty-free under the normal tariff regime, less than 1% of total EU imports from the country were imported using EBA preferences in 2024. The preference utilisation rate, which represents the ratio of preferential imports to GSP eligible imports, stood at 28%.

Trade with the EU

Total trade with the EU amounted to €2.4 billion in 2024, 4.2% of DR Congo's total trade (rank 5). With a share of 0.5%, the EU only plays a minor role as an export market for DR Congo. Imports from the EU, however, are of higher importance and amounted to €2.2 billion in 2024 (11.1% of total imports), making it the third most important supplier to the country.

Democratic Republic of Congo and the EU

Imports from the Democratic Republic of Congo by product section (2024, € million)

Imports from the Democratic Republic of Congo over time (€ million)

DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO AND THE EU GSP

Economic Impact

0%

Less than 1% of the Democratic Republic of Congo's exports to the EU market were eligible for EBA preferences in 2024.

28%

The Democratic Republic of Congo's preference utilisation rate in 2024.

100%

Share of zero-duty imports from the Democratic Republic of Congo in 2024. Most imports are duty-free under normal EU tariffs.

Preference utilisation and export diversification

EU imports from the Democratic Republic of Congo (€ million)

Preference utilisation (%) vs. total eligible imports (in € million)

The vast majority of EU imports from the DR Congo is duty-free and thus not eligible for the EBA. Eligible imports thus were below €10 million in most years but at the same time fluctuated widely. Since 2020, when they reached a low of €2.5 million, they steadily recovered to €14.5 million in 2023, but dropping again to just below €10 million in 2024. Only a small share of preference-eligible imports from the DR Congo uses the EBA preferences - but it has steadily increased from 2% in 2021 to 28% in 2024. Across product groups, the preference utilisation rate of fruit and vegetables has increased most, reaching 41% in 2024, and for food preparations - the largest product category in terms of eligible imports - it stood at 33%.

The largest product sections under EBA (€ million, 2024)

Because most of the EU's imports from the Democratic Republic of Congo are duty free under the normal tariffs, EBA-eligible imports are small and their composition changes strongly from year to year. In 2024, they were led by food preparations and fruit and vegetables. Preference utilisation is low, however.

SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT

As a beneficiary of the EBA, the Democratic Republic of Congo is not required to ratify any conventions to be able to benefit from preferential access to the EU market. Nonetheless, the country has ratified all 27 international conventions listed in the GSP Regulation on human and labour rights, environmental protection and good governance.

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-Democratic Republic of Congo Bilateral Development Cooperation

DG INTPA

Access all info about EU-Democratic Republic of Congo relations on the International Partnerships website.