Kiribati

As a least-developed country (LDC), Kiribati is a beneficiary of the EU's "Everything but Arms" (EBA) arrangement. The World Bank considers Kiribati a lower middle-income economy with a per-capita income of $2,107 in 2023. EU imports from Kiribati amounted to about €384 thousand in 2023. Given the low export amounts, the country does not make use of EBA preferences.

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.

Kiribati flag
group

0.1M (2023)

Population

account_balance
Presidential Republic

Government

trending_up

4.1% (2023)

GDP Growth

equalizer

9.3% (2023)

Inflation

money

$ 0.3B (2023)

GDP

Facts about Kiribati's economy

Island Economy

Kiribati is a small island nation located in the Pacific Ocean in between Hawaii and Australia. Similar to other small island nations, Kiribati faces a series of challenges including the vulnerability to climate change, a highly dispersed population, difficult access to international markets as well as low domestic resources and limited arable land.

Export Products

Kiribati's top export products are frozen fish and fish fillets. They account for about 95% of total exports.

Trade Partners

Kiribati's most important trading partners are Pacific neighbours, in 2023 led by Australia (16%), Fiji (16%), and Singapore (10%). Most imports, about 17%, originate from Australia, while Japan was the most important export market for products from Kiribati in 2023 (27% of total exports), followed by Fiji (18%).

Economic Structure

Kiribati's economy is dominated by the services sector, which, driven mainly by public services, contributes the majority to the country's income. On the industrial side dominate fishing and sea salt production as well as clothing, furniture, and beverages. Those products mainly supply the domestic market.

Usage of EBA Preferences

Kiribati did not take advantage of the EBA scheme in recent years.

Trade with the EU

Total trade with the EU amounted to €6 million in 2023. With a share of 3% of total trade, the EU only plays a minor role in Kiribati's trade relations.

Kiribati and the EU

Imports from Kiribati by product section (2023, € million)

Imports from Kiribati over time (€ million)

KIRIBATI AND THE EU GSP

Economic Impact

6%

Share of Kiribati's exports to the EU that were eligible for EBA preferences in 2023.

0%

Since 2021, Kiribati has not made use of EBA preferences.

94%

Share of zero-duty imports from Kiribati. Most imports are duty-free under normal EU tariffs.

Preference utilisation and export diversification

EU imports from Kiribati (€ million)

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

With exports to the EU being very small, Kiribati has not used EBA preferences in recent years.

The largest product sections under EBA (€ million, 2023)

Kiribati’s product range traded using EBA preferences is limited to only fish products, as well as vehicles and machinery. The total number of traded product sections has been decreasing since 2016, suggesting that the positive developments following the GSP reform have come to a halt.

SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT

As a beneficiary of the EBA scheme, Kiribati's preferential access to the EU market is not conditional on the ratification of international conventions. Still, Kiribati has ratified 3 fundamental UN human rights conventions as well as all 8 core ILO conventions on the protection of labour rights. Moreover, Kiribati has ratified 7 international conventions on the protection of the environment and the UN Convention against Corruption.

Core international conventions on human rights and labour standards

Ratified

  • 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)

Not 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)

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)
  • 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 Convention against Corruption (2004)

EU-Kiribati Bilateral Development Cooperation

DG INTPA

Access all info about EU-Pacific Islands Countries relations on the International Partnerships website.

Contact points