A historic agreement was reached on June 10, 2026 between the European Union and four Indian Ocean states — Mauritius, Comoros, Madagascar and the Seychelles. For the first time in sub-Saharan Africa, a modern free trade deal covers not only goods but also services, investment, digital trade and sectoral cooperation. A major milestone for the region — though one already raising concerns in Réunion and Mayotte.
An unprecedented deal for sub-Saharan Africa
The existing Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) was until now limited to trade in goods. The new EPA+ goes considerably further: it opens European markets to service providers from the island nations, secures bilateral investments and establishes a framework for digital commerce between the two blocs. According to the European External Action Service (EEAS), this is «the first modern, comprehensive free trade agreement concluded by the EU in sub-Saharan Africa».
The deal remains open to other ESA group (Eastern and Southern Africa) members who wish to join. The four signatories have expressed their intention to ratify the agreement «as quickly as their respective constitutional procedures allow».
Réunion and Mayotte left out
The signing immediately triggered a political reaction in France's Indian Ocean territories. European Parliament Vice-President Younous Omarjee condemned the exclusion of Réunion and Mayotte from the negotiations. «The European Union must build balanced relationships with these countries while protecting its own territories», he stated, announcing consultations with local authorities ahead of the European Parliament vote.
The stakes are real: the agreement could create competitive distortions in agriculture, services and employment between the French territories and their island neighbours, who are now better positioned on the European market.
Why this matters
For the four signatory states, the EPA+ provides preferential access to a market of 450 million consumers for their service industries — tourism, finance, digital technology, processed fisheries. It also sends a powerful signal to international investors about the regulatory stability of these economies. The Indian Ocean region is asserting itself as a coherent trade bloc, capable of negotiating as an equal with major global powers. For regional decision-makers, understanding the new rules this agreement introduces has become an urgent priority.