RELATIONS WITH THE EU
The European Union and Solomon Islands
The Solomon Islands is a Melanesian Pacific island nation. The European Union and Solomon Islands relationship is governed by the EU-ACP Cotonou Partnership Agreement, which will soon be replaced by a successor Agreement. Solomon Islands and the EU work together on a number of common values, interests and challenges, such as climate change, oceans and human rights, which they address in bilateral Political Dialogues, at various ACP-EU policy dialogues, as well as at global multilateral levels.
Political Relations
Political Relations between the EU and Solomon Islands
The Solomon Islands consists of six major islands and a population of 670,000.
Solomon Islands participates in policy dialogues within the ACP-EU institutions from senior officials to parliamentary and ministerial levels.The EU cooperates closely with Solomon Islands to ensure our shared commitment to universal values and human rights principles are upheld at the international level.
The EU and Solomon Islands hold High-Level Political Dialogues to address common interests and challenges, such as climate change, oceans, human rights, development cooperation, economic and trade cooperation. The last Political Dialogue took place in Honiara, in October 2019.
The Solomon Islands 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.
The EU and Solomon Islands apply a short-stay Visa Waiver Agreement, to encourage people-to-people contacts, boost tourism and invigorate business.
Solomon Islands has been supported by the EU and its Member States through the Team Europe response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Trade and Economic Relations
Trade and Economic Relations Between the EU and Solomon Islands
Solomon Islands is a Small Island Developing State (SIDS), categorised as Lower Middle-Income Country and heavily dependent on foreign aid. It is scheduled to graduate from the Least Developed Countries (LDC) category in December 2024.
Solomon Islands’ top exports are rough wood (74%), processed fish products (11%), palm oil/other fats (6%), and aluminum ore (6%). Canned tuna exports to the EU are a success story. Its top imports are mineral fuels/oils (16%), rice (7%), fishing vessels (7%), and construction machinery (6%). The EU is the country’s second trade partner after China and before Australia. In 2020, Solomon Islands acceded to the interim Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) between the EU and the Pacific which it had signed in 2009. The EPA gives all Solomon Islands products duty-free, quota-free access to the EU market — the world’s largest single market. It helps the country to alleviate poverty and create jobs based on international values and principles, including sustainable development and human rights.
The first Fisheries Partnership Agreement (FPA) between the EU and Solomon Islands dates back to 2006. Currently, there is no active Protocol.
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In 2020, Solomon Islands acceded to the interim Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) between the EU and the Pacific which it had signed in 2009. The EPA gives all Solomon Islands products duty-free, quota-free access to the EU market — the world’s largest single market.
Copyright: Julius Sliver
Development Cooperation
The European Union's Development Cooperation with Solomon Islands
Between 2014-2020, the European Union has supported a wide range of cooperation projects that have benefitted the Solomon Islands in areas such as water, sanitation & hygiene –WASH and Rural Development.