Haiti
As a least-developed country (LDC), Haiti is a beneficiary of the EU's "Everything but Arms" (EBA) arrangement. The World Bank classifies Haiti as a lower middle-income economy with a per-capita income of $1,706 in 2023, which makes it one of the poorest countries in the Western hemisphere. Total EU imports from Haiti amounted to about €31.4 million in 2023, and preferential imports to €3.5 million.
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 (2023, € million)
11.6M (2023)
Population
Semi-Presidential Republic
Government
-1.9% (2023)
GDP Growth
36.8% (2023)
Inflation
$ 19.9B (2023)
GDP
Facts about Haiti's economy
Export Products
Haiti's main export products are articles of apparel and clothing, which account for about 90% of overall exports. Other export goods include essential oils, headgear, and fruits (guavas, citrus fruits, and melons).
Trade Partners
The most important trading partners for Haiti are the US, China and Indonesia. The US is by far the most important export market for Haitian products, around 81% of products went to the US market in 2023. Looking at imports, China and the US are the most important suppliers with shares of 23% and 22%. respectively.
Economic Structure
The majority of the population is employed in the agricultural sector which, however, only contributes 20% to the national income as the main focus of the sector is subsistence farming. The industrial sector is focused on processed foods, such as coffee and sugarcane as the main cash crops. Other relevant industries are textiles, footwear, and beverages.
Remittances
Remittances play an immense role for the Haitian economy as they account for almost 40% of Haiti’s GDP, the second highest share among all countries in the world.
Usage of EBA Preferences
About 11% of the EU's total imports from Haiti make use of EBA preferences. The preference utilisation rate, which represents the ratio of preferential imports to GSP eligible imports, stood at 44% in 2023, lower than in previous years, being a reflection of the fragile political situation in the country.
Trade with the EU
Total trade with the EU amounted to €202 million in 2022. With a share of 6.8% of total trade, the EU is the fourth most important trading partner of Haiti.
Haiti and the EU
Imports from Haiti by product section (2023, € million)
Imports from Haiti over time (€ million)
HAITI AND THE EU GSP
Economic Impact
26%
Share of Haiti's exports to the EU in 2023 that were eligible for EBA preferences.
44%
Haiti's preference utilisation rate in 2023.
86%
Share of zero-duty imports from Haiti. Most imports are duty-free under normal EU tariffs.
Preference utilisation and export diversification
EU imports from Haiti (€ million)
Preference utilisation (%) vs. total eligible imports (in € million)
EU imports (both total and preference-eligible ones) from Haiti decreased sharply since 2019, affected by the country's fragility and crisis. This is also reflected in Haiti’s preference utilisation rate, which has fluctuated around 50% in recent years (44% in 2023) - much lower than the almost 90% during the period 2015 to 2019.
The largest product sections under EBA (€ million)
Haiti uses zero duties granted by the EBA mainly for its garment and chemical exports to the EU. A number of other products that are exported to the EU already benefit from free market access.
SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT
As a beneficiary of the EBA scheme, Haiti's preferential access to the EU market is not conditional on the ratification of international conventions. Nonetheless, Haiti has ratified all 15 core conventions on the protection of human rights and labour standards. Additionally, Haiti has ratified 4 environmental protection conventions and is a signatory to the Basel Convention, the Cartagena Protocol and the Stockholm Convention. Haiti has also ratified 3 conventions on 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
- 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) (signed)
- Convention on Biological Diversity (1992)
- The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (1992)
- Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety (2000) (signed)
- Stockholm Convention on persistent Organic Pollutants (2001) (signed)
- Kyoto Protocol to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (1998)
- United Nations Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs (1961)
- United Nations Convention against Illicit Traffic in Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (1988)
- United Nations Convention against Corruption (2004)
EU-Haiti Bilateral Development Cooperation
DG INTPA
Access all info about EU-Haiti relations on the International Partnerships website.