RELATIONS WITH THE EU
The European Union and the Republic of Kiribati
The Republic of Kiribati is a Micronesian Pacific island country. The relationship between the European Union and Kiribati is governed by the Partnership Agreement between the EU and the Organisation of the African, Caribbean and Pacific States (the Samoa Agreement).
Kiribati and the EU work together on a number of shared interests and common challenges, such as climate change, oceans and human rights, which they address in bilateral Political Dialogues, at various ACP-EU policy dialogues and at global multilateral levels.
On This Page
POLITICAL RELATIONS
POLITICAL RELATIONS BETWEEN THE EUROPEAN UNION AND THE REPUBLIC OF KIRIBATI
Kiribati consists of 32 atolls and 1 raised coral island, and an approximate population of 120,000.
It participates in policy dialogues within the ACP-EU institutions from senior officials to parliamentary and ministerial levels. The EU also cooperates closely with Kiribati to ensure our shared commitment to universal values and human rights principles are upheld at the international level.
The EU and Kiribati share common interests and challenges, such as climate change, oceans, human rights, development cooperation, economic and trade cooperation.
Kiribati and the EU are engaged in the Pacific region through the Pacific Islands Forum (PIF) and Pacific Community (SPC). The Organisation of African, Caribbean, and Pacific States (OACPS) coordinates the ACP-EU policy dialogues. Both apply a short-stay Visa Waiver Agreement, to encourage people-to-people contacts, boost tourism and invigorate business.
Trade and Economic Relations
Trade and Economic Relations between the EU and Kiribati
Kiribati is a Small Island Developing State (SIDS), categorised as Lower Middle Income Country.
The economy is mainly driven by public spending – particularly on infrastructure – but also relies on fishing license fees as a source of government income.
Kiribati’s exports to the EU market are limited mainly to fish and copra.
It can export all its products to the EU free of tariffs or quotas under the ‘Everything But Arms’ (EBA) scheme until graduating from its classification as a Least Developed Country (LDC).
Kiribati can accede to the EU-Pacific Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA), currently applied between the EU and Fiji, Papua New Guinea, Samoa and Solomon Islands. The EPA would give all of Kiribati’s products duty-free, quota-free access to the EU market — the world’s largest single market.
It is a party to the ‘Parties to the Nauru Agreement’ (PNA) fishing scheme and has a sustainable Fisheries Partnership Agreement (FPA) with the EU, and a Protocol which is currently under renewal negotiations.
Development Cooperation
The European Union’s Development Cooperation with Kiribati
Under the European Union's funding instrument for 2021 – 2027, Neighbourhood Development and International Cooperation Instrument (NDICI), the support to Kiribati focuses on a budget support action for an amount of EUR 5 million. It is a State Resilience Building Contract, allowing the EU to remain an active member of the Economic Reform Taskforce. The budget support started in January 2024. Climate change adaptation is also a priority in EU-Kiribati cooperation.
Additionally, the EU has earmarked EUR 2.5 million to finance the design study of a port in Christmas Island (Kiritimati), building on the need to improve the conditions and job opportunities on this island, representing two-thirds of the country’s emerged landmass, better protected against the sea level rise than the capital atoll of Tarawa.
Kiribati also benefits from several regional programmes that fall under the following priority sectors: Climate Action and Environmental Sustainability, Inclusive and Sustainable Economic Development, and Fundamental Values and Human Development.
Global Gateway
The EU's Global Gateway strategy encourages public and private investment in infrastructure, green energy, education and research for sustainable development.
The Global Gateway is the EU's positive offer of cooperation to our partner countries in support of their own strategic autonomy, aligning partner countries and EU interests by increasing high-quality geostrategic investments and promoting sustainable finance. The Global Gateway represents the European Union's effort to reduce the global investment gap and boost smart, clean and secure connections in the digital, energy and transport sectors, as well as to strengthen health, education and research systems. It provides sustainable investment opportunities to increase the prosperity and security of our global partners and Europe.
Covering five main themes (digital, climate and energy, transport, health and education and research) it is implemented through the Team Europe approach.
In Kiribati, the EU is working on the following flagships initiative which falls within the scope of the Global Gateway:
Design for Kiritimati (Christmas) Island multi-purpose port with the EIB. This action aims to contribute towards the economic and social development of Kiritimati Island through the construction and operation of a multi-purpose port and a wave breaker or breakwater to accommodate requirements for transhipment by fishing vessels, container vessels for commercial trade, and cruise liners for tourism.