Trade with Côte d’Ivoire

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How you import from and export to Côte d’Ivoire (Ivory Coast).

The UK has signed an Economic Partnership Agreement ( EPA) with Côte d’Ivoire, which is in effect.

EPAsare principally development-focused trade agreements that aim to promote increased trade and investment. They contribute to sustainable growth and poverty reduction in developing countries.

This guidance provides information on aspects of trade covered by the UK-Côte d’Ivoire Stepping Stone EPA. It is for UK businesses trading with Côte d’Ivoire.

What the agreement includes

The UK commits to providing immediate duty-free, quota-free access to goods exported from Côte d’Ivoire.

In exchange, Côte d’Ivoire commits to gradual tariff liberalisation of goods. Some domestically sensitive products in Côte d’Ivoire are excluded from tariff liberalisation.

This EPAincludes provisions on:

• trade in goods - including provisions on preferential tariffs, rules of origin and sanitary and phytosanitary measures

Tariff rates on goods

Tariff rates for bilateral trade in goods between the UK and Côte d’Ivoire continue to apply as set out in the agreement.

Rules of origin

Claiming preferential rates for your exports from the UK

Unless you are permitted to provide an origin declaration, you will need to fill in a certificate of origin to claim preferential treatment.

The UK continues to use the EUR1 format for movement certificates with trade partners that have mutual FTAs with the EU, including Côte d’Ivoire. These movement certificates are identical to those previously in use, but the place of origin on the certificate is now marked as the United Kingdom instead of the European Community. EUR1 certificates of origin that have been updated to show the UK are now available from your usual provider, such as the chambers of commerce.

If you previously used the EUR1 form with a mutual EU trading partner, you can use the new EUR1 form that shows the UK as the place of origin.

Using EU materials and processing in your exports to Côte d’Ivoire

You can use EU materials or processing in your exports to Côte d’Ivoire. The UK and Côte d’Ivoire must have fulfilled the necessary requirements set out in the Rules of Origin Protocol. You must also ensure the working or processing you do in the UK goes beyond the minimal operations listed in the agreement and the other relevant conditions are met.

For example, you cannot simply package or label a product from the EU and export it to the Côte d’Ivoire as a good originating in the UK.

The ability to consider materials from, or processing carried out in, another country as originating when incorporated into your product is called cumulation.

Using materials and processing from other countries in your exports to Côte d’Ivoire

It is also possible to use materials from, and processing carried out in, the other countries and territories referenced in Article 7 of the Rules of Origin Protocol. Again, you must ensure that the working or processing you do in the UK goes beyond the minimal operations listed in the agreement and the other relevant conditions are fulfilled.

Sending your goods to Côte d’Ivoire through the EU and other countries

Goods transited through the EU are subject to the same requirements as those in transit through other third countries.

For example, you are able to split a consignment in the EU, as well as in other third countries, when exporting goods to Côte d’Ivoire, provided the goods comprising the consignment have not been entered into free circulation.

Origin quotas

Origin quotas in the agreement have been tailored specifically to the UK.

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