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 $628 in 2023. EU imports from the DRC amounted to about €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 €2.0 million in 2023, substantially more than in 2021 and 2022.

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.

Democratic Republic of Congo flag

At a glance: EU preferential imports from EBA beneficiary countries (2023, € million)

group

105.8M (2023)

Population

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Semi-Presidential Republic

Government

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8.6% (2023)

GDP Growth

equalizer

19.9% (2023)

Inflation

money

$ 66.4B (2023)

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 48% of DR Congo's exports in 2023, followed by Singapore and Hong Kong. China is also the most important supplier (22% of Congo's total imports in 2023).

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 are imported using EBA preferences. The preference utilisation rate, which represents the ratio of preferential imports to GSP eligible imports, stood at 14% in 2023.

Trade with the EU

Total trade with the EU amounted to €1.4 billion in 2023, 4.8% of DR Congo's total trade (rank 5). With a share of 0.9%, 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 almost €1.3 billion in 2023 (8.2% of total imports), making it the fourth most important supplier to the country.

Democratic Republic of Congo and the EU

Imports from the Democratic Republic of Congo by product section (2023, € million)

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

DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO AND THE EU’s GSP

Economic Impact

0%

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

12.40%

The Democratic Republic of Congo currently has a very low preference utilisation rate of 12.4%.

Preference utilisation and export diversification

The Democratic Republic of Congo's imports to the EU

Preference Utilisation vs. total eligible imports

Despite a constantly improving preference utilisation rate throughout the years and a record increase in eligible products in 2018, only a fraction of total imports from the Democratic Republic of Congo is imported using EBA preferences. The increase in eligible imports can be attributed to increased export volumes of cobalt oxides, which are almost entirely exported under the EBA. Copper and diamonds account for the majority of exports but already benefit from zero most favoured nation duties. In 2020, only fruits and vegetables and prepared foodstuffs were imported using EBA preferences, though the utilisation rate was at 1.3%. In 2022 the rate improved by 10%.

The largest product sections under EBA

Exports under the EBA remain highly concentrated on few products. The Democratic Republic of Congo traditionally exports mainly processed foods and beverages, mineral and agricultural products using EBA preferences.

SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT

The Democratic Republic of Congo, as a beneficiary of the EBA scheme, is not obligated to ratify any conventions to be able to benefit from preferential access to the EU market. Nonetheless, Congo 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, Congo 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-Democratic Republic of Congo Bilateral Development Cooperation

DG INTPA

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

Contact points