Report on the Generalised Scheme of Preferences covering the period 2016-2017

Author (Corporate)
Series Title
Series Details (2018) 36 final (19.01.18)
Publication Date 19/01/2018
Content Type

Further information:

In 2016, €62.6 billion of imports entered the EU under GSP preferences, divided as follows: €31.6 billion from Standard GSP countries, around €7.5 billion from GSP+ beneficiaries and €23.5 billion from EBA countries.

Background information:

The Generalised Scheme of Preferences (GSP) comprises three diffrent trade preference arrangements:

+ the general arrangement ('Standard GSP') grants duty reductions for around 66% of all EU tariff lines to low-income or lower-middle income countries, which do not benefit from other preferential trade access to the EU market;

+ the special incentive arrangement for Sustainable Development and Good Governance ('GSP+') grants full duty suspension for essentially the same 66% of tariff lines as Standard GSP to eligible countries vulnerable in terms of economic diversification and export volumes. In return, beneficiary countries must ratify and effectively implement 27 core international conventions, which cover human and labour rights, environmental protection and good governance;

+ the special arrangement Everything But Arms ('EBA') grants full duty-free, quota-free access for all products except arms and ammunition to countries classified by the UN as Least Developed Countries ('LDCs'). Other than for Standard GSP and GSP+, countries do not lose EBA status by entering into a Free Trade Agreement (FTA) with the EU.

+ Report on the Generalised Scheme of Preferences covering the period 2014-2015, January 2016

This report, published by the European Commission and the European External Action Service (EEAS), assesses the effects of the Generalised Scheme of Preferences ('GSP') during the years 2016-2017, with a focus on the performance of GSP+ beneficiaries.

Source Link Link to Main Source http://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=COM:2018:036:FIN
Related Links
European Commission: Press Release, 19.01.18: Report: EU trade schemes promote economic development and human rights http://europa.eu/rapid/press-release_IP-18-301_en.htm
European Commission: Second report on the effects of GSP and the special incentive arrangement for sustainable development and good governance (GSP+) covering 2016-2017 [Q&A] http://europa.eu/rapid/press-release_MEMO-18-350_en.htm
EUR-Lex: SWD(2018)23: Staff Working Document accompanying the Report http://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=SWD:2018:023:FIN

Subject Categories
Countries / Regions