South Sudan is a beneficiary of the EU's "Everything but Arms" (EBA) scheme for least developed countries. South Sudan is considered a low-income economy according to the World Bank classification, with the per-capita income standing at around $ 1.040 (2015). Overall imports from South Sudan experienced an increase in recent years and amounted to about €37 million in 2022. South Sudan has not made use of its preferential access to the EU market in recent years.
The “Everything but Arms”(EBA) scheme is a permanent arrangement covering Least Developed Countries (LDC’s) as classified by the United Nations. This arrangement enables duty-free and quota-free access for all products (7200 products in total) originating in LDC’s except for arms and ammunition. Different from the Standard GSP and GSP+, LDC’s are not excluded from the scheme if they benefit from other preferential arrangements.
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South Sudan is a landlocked economy in east-central Africa and only gained independence in 2011. Most of the territory is covered in tropical forest, swamps, and grassland. Most of the population lives in rural areas and depends on subsistence farming.
South Sudan's by far most important export product are mineral products like petroleum oils, followed by tropical wood, ground nuts as well as machinery and mechanical appliances, onions and scrap iron.
South Sudan's most important trading partners are Uganda, China and Kenya with shares between 32.3% and 26.7%. China and the EU are the most important export markets for Sudanese products. Most imports originate from Uganda and Kenya.
The petroleum industry is the cornerstone of South Sudan's economy and oil rents regularly contribute about 40% to the country's GDP, making it one of the most oil dependent countries in the world. The remaining industrial activity remains small and is hampered by lacking infrastructure. The agricultural sector mainly serves subsistence purposes. Important crops are sorghum, corn, millet, rice, and cassava. Peanuts are the most important cash crop.
South Sudan did not take advantage of EBA preferences in 2020.
Total trade with the EU amounted to € 121 million in 2021. With a share of 8.8 % of overall trade, the EU only plays a minor role in the trade relations of South Sudan.
Only a tiny share of South Sudan's exports are eligible for preferences granted by the EU's EBA.
South Sudan currently does not make use of preferences granted under the EU's EBA.
Despite a substantial increase in overall EU imports from South Sudan in recent years, the EBA beneficiary does not make use of the preferences granted by the arrangement. Only a small share of imports from South Sudan are eligible for duty suspensions under the EBA, including for example machinery and transport equipment. A number of other products imported from South Sudan such as minerals and nuts already benefit from zero most-favoured-nation duties.
The preferential access to the EU market granted by the EBA scheme is not bound to the ratification of international conventions. Nonetheless, South Sudan has ratified 3 core UN conventions on human rights and 7 out of 8 ILO labour rights conventions. Furthermore, South Sudan has ratified 3 environmental protection conventions and the UN Convention against Corruption.
The EU has allocated more than €46 million to South Sudan to address food insecurity, violence, and natural disasters. €3 million are allocated to support the COVID19 vaccination rollout. This adds to about €250 million for ongoing projects, many of them carried out in the framework of the EU Emergency Trust Fund for Africa (EUTF). Since the country’s independence in 2011, South Sudan has received funding worth €1 billion, about half in the form of humanitarian assistance.
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