Republic of Congo

The Republic of Congo is a beneficiary of the Standard GSP. With a per capita income of $2,478 in 2023, the World Bank classifies Congo as a lower middle-income country. In 2023, EU imports from Congo summed up to €1.5 billion, the highest value since 2015. The country currently makes good use of the preferential tariffs under the GSP. As most of Congo's exports enter the EU duty-free under the EU's normal tariff regime, the scope for preferential GSP imports is limited; these reached €7.8 million in 2023.

What is the GSP?

The Standard GSP targets developing countries that are classified by the World Bank as lower or lower-middle income countries and which do not have equal preferential access to the EU market through any other arrangement. Standard GSP beneficiary countries can benefit from duty suspension for non-sensitive products as well as duty reductions for sensitive products across approximately 66% of all EU tariff lines.

Republic of Congo flag

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

group

6.2M (2023)

Population

account_balance
Presidential Republic

Government

trending_up

1.9% (2023)

GDP Growth

equalizer

4.3% (2023)

Inflation

money

$ 15.3B (2023)

GDP

Facts about Congo's economy

Export Products

Congo's most important export product by far is petroleum oil, and the country ranks among the top 10 of Africa’s oil producers. Other important export products include copper, gold and tropical woods. Cocoa beans are the most important agricultural product for export.

Resource Wealth

The Republic of Congo has substantial mineral resources, the majority of which are yet untapped. Next to petroleum oil, these resources include iron ore, magnesium, diamonds, phosphate, copper, lead, zinc, and gold.

Trade Partners

China is Congo's most important export market, with a share of 47% in 2023, followed by the EU (21%). The two largest suppliers, the EU (29%) and China (28%), also account for a combined share in Congo's total imports of more than 55%.

Economic Structure

Agriculture contributes a small share to Congo's GDP (9% in 2023), far behind industry (45%) and services (40%). Oil rents contribute about 50% to the government's revenues, one of the highest shares in the world. This leaves the economy vulnerable to volatilities on international energy markets. Other relevant industries in Congo are cement, lumber, brewing, sugar, and palm oil.

Usage of GSP Preferences

As most of Congo's exports enter the EU duty-free under the EU's normal tariff regime, the scope for EBA preferences is limited: less than 1% of imports from Congo were eligible for EBA preferences in 2023. 14% of the eligible imports made use of the preferences in 2023.

Trade with the EU

Total trade between the EU and the Republic of Congo amounted to € 1.9 billion in 2023. The EU is Congo's second most important trading partner with a share of 25%, behind China (38%).

Congo and the EU

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

Imports from Congo over time (€ million)

CONGO AND THE EU GSP

Economic Impact

1%

Only a small share of the Republic of Congo's exports to the EU were eligible for GSP preferential tariffs in 2023.

65%

Republic of Congo's preference utilisation rate in 2023.

99%

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

Preference utilisation and export diversification

EU imports from the Republic of Congo (€ million)

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

The vast majority of EU imports from Congo is duty-free and thus not eligible for GSP preferences. Eligible imports have decreased almost steadily since 2012, from more than €80 million then to €12 million in 2023. Congo’s preference utilisation rate has fluctuated heavily over the years, ranging from 42% to 81%. In 2023, the rate stood at 65%, and the largest user of EBA preferences by far was the product group of stone, cement and mineral fuels, with a utilisation rate of almost 100%.

The largest product sections under the GSP (€ million, 2023)

Despite preferential imports remain limited to a small amount of products, the Republic of Congo belonged to those countries which showed progress towards more diversified exports following the last GSP reform.

SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT

Congo maintains a high level of ratification of core international conventions, despite duty reductions granted by the Standard GSP are not bound to the ratification of any conventions. Congo has ratified 13 of the 15 core conventions on human rights and labour standards. Additionally, Congo has ratified 8 international conventions on environmental protection and 4 conventions which cover good governance topics like corruption and the control of drug trafficking.

Core international conventions on human rights and labour standards

Ratified

  • International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination (1969)
  • 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)

Not Ratified

  • International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (1976)
  • Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide (1948)

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-Congo Bilateral Development Cooperation

DG INTPA

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

Contact points