> ## Content Index
> Fetch the complete content index at: https://businessoi.media/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover other available public pages before exploring further.

# [INDIAN OCEAN] EU Signs First African Free Trade Deal with Comoros, Madagascar, Mauritius and Seychelles
- URL: https://businessoi.media/en/ocean-indien-lue-signe-le-premier-accord-de-libre-echange-africain-avec-les-comores-madagascar-maurice-et-les-seychelles-en/
- Published: 2026-08-02T14:22:06.000Z
- Updated: 2026-08-02T14:22:06.000Z
- Description: Concluded June 10, 2026, the EU-ESA4 EPA links Comoros, Madagascar, Mauritius and Seychelles to the European Union. Trade volume: €9.7 billion. First comprehensive EU free trade deal with Sub-Saharan Africa.
- Author: Emmanuel TAOCHY
- Tags: Maurice, Madagascar, Seychelles, Comores, Économie, Investissement, Afrique, Flash de mi-journée, #en

**Concluded on June 10, 2026, the Enhanced Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) between the European Union and four Indian Ocean island states — Comoros, Madagascar, Mauritius and Seychelles — is described as "the first modern and comprehensive EU free trade agreement with Sub-Saharan African partners". A deal covering €9.7 billion in annual trade and rewriting the rules of engagement for operators across the region.**

## €9.7 billion in trade to consolidate

In 2024, trade between the EU and the four islands totalled €9.7 billion: €5.2 billion in EU imports and €4.5 billion in exports. The structure is distinctive: 58% of the total comes from services — tourism, financial services, transport — and 42% from goods. The EU is already the islands' top trading partner, accounting for 24% of their goods trade and 33% of services.

## What the agreement changes in practice

Beyond reduced tariffs on goods, the enhanced EPA covers areas previously absent from classic ACP-EU trade agreements:

- **Digital trade:** a permanent ban on customs duties on electronic transmissions and data localisation requirements — a key win for Mauritius's digital economy and the regional fintech sector;
- **Public procurement:** gradual opening to operators from all four states;
- **Agriculture, fisheries and aquaculture:** improved access to European markets for tuna, vanilla and seafood exporters;
- **Intellectual property:** recognition of geographical indications, notably for regional rums and artisanal products.

## A strong signal for investors

The agreement provides "greater legal certainty for businesses" — Brussels' way of saying the rules of the game are now predictable over the long term. For an investor weighing a base in Mauritius, Madagascar or Seychelles, this is an additional argument: access to the 450-million-consumer EU single market now comes with a solid contractual framework.

## Why it matters

For the 36 million inhabitants of the four islands, this agreement is significant. It is a lever for economic diversification in a difficult post-Covid context, and opens concrete opportunities in digital, fisheries and services. The next step will be turning the signature into tangible gains: ratification and effective implementation are the next milestones to watch.

*Source: European Commission — DG Trade, June 10, 2026*