Mauritius-Turkey: Free Trade Agreement to come into force on 1st June 2013

The Free Trade Agreement (FTA) between Mauritius and Turkey which provides a platform to consolidate trade ties as well as create more synergies for the business community of both countries will enter into force on 1st June 2013.

The FTA was signed on 9 September 2011 by the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Regional Integration and International Trade, Dr Arvin Boolell, for Mauritius, and by Mr Zafer Caglayan, Minister of Economy of Turkey.

As from 1st June 2013, Turkey will provide duty free access to Mauritian exporters on all industrial products, with the exception of 70 textiles products where tariff will be phased over four years.  Mauritian operators will also enjoy from more flexible rules of origin including the single transformation rule for garments and tuna.

With respect to agricultural products, Mauritian exporters will benefit from preferential access on a list of 46 products including chilled fish, cut flowers, tropical fruits such as pineapples, mangoes and guava, vegetables, preserved tuna, sweet biscuits amongst others.

To export fish and agricultural products to Turkey, operators will have to meet the relevant regulations imposed by the Turkish authorities.  Moreover, Mauritian exporters need to ensure that their Turkish counterparts have obtained an import license from the Ministry of Economy of Turkey.

The FTA also contains a market access offer allowing imports from Turkey to obtain preferential access into Mauritius.  The Mauritius offer includes a list of sensitive products which will be excluded from liberalisation, such as biscuits, meat, pasta, paints, soap and article of iron and steel, amongst others.

It is recalled that negotiations for the FTA started in June 2009 and were completed in January 2011 after five rounds of discussions.

For Mauritian companies, Turkey is a large market nearing 90 million people with companies having a strong global orientation and a business culture that values quality.  Mauritius with its links to the SADC and COMESA region represents an important market of more than 500 million inhabitants.