EIPA provides assistance to Swazi companies who wish to penetrate external markets through the following services :

  • Market entry and industry research and dissemination of relevant export trade information such as unpacking trade agreements and handling trade enquiries
  • Export readiness training to cover product development and marketing strategies
  • Facilitation of participation in trade missions including trade fairs to establish buyers and trading partners. This is done through Export Marketing Assistance programme (EMAP)
  • Inward buyer-seller missions where we host foreign buyers and set up business-to-business (B2B) matchmaking meetings



    Trade Markets Where Eswatini Is A Member

Southern African Customs Union (SACU)
Countries/Members Size, Liberalization & Market Access
Swaziland, South Africa, Botswana, Namibia, Lesotho
  • 55 million population, with South Africa as major trading partner
  • Allows for Free movement of goods within the customs union
Eswatini – Republic of China (Taiwan) – Economic Cooperation Agreement (ECA)
Countries/Members Size, Liberalization & Market Access
Eswatini and Taiwan Bilateral Trade agreement
  • 24 million Taiwan population
  • Duty free market access to over 100 products lines
  • Flexible rules of origin
Southern African Development Community (SADC)
Countries/Members Size, Liberalization & Market Access
Swaziland, Angola, Botswana, Lesotho, Madagascar, Mauritius, Namibia, Tanzania, Mozambique, South Africa, Zimbabwe, Zambia, Malawi, Seychelles, DR Congo
  • 238 million population
  • Free trade area with preferential market access for goods and further integrating to customs union
  • Highlighted State are not implementing the FTA
Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA)
Countries/Members Size, Liberalization & Market Access
Swaziland, Angola, Uganda, Kenya, Ethiopia, Eritrea, Burundi, Rwanda, Egypt, Libya, Zimbabwe, Zambia, Madagascar, Mauritius, Comoros, Congo, Somalia, Sudan, Malawi
  • 374 million population
  • Free trade area with preferential market access further integrating to a customs union.
  • Swaziland only SACU member state currently in COMESA
Generalized System of Preferences (GSP)
Countries/Members Size, Liberalization & Market Access
Swaziland, South Africa, Botswana, Namibia, Lesotho
  • Over 600 million population
  • Swaziland as beneficiary country enjoys preferential market access
  • Scheme enables developing countries to access markets of industrialized countries
African Growth Opportunity Act (AGOA)
Countries/Members Size, Liberalization & Market Access
Swaziland, South Africa, Botswana, Namibia, Lesotho
  • 300 million population
  • Over 6500 duty free tariff lines
  • Duty free market access till 2025
  • Third country fabric provision till 2015
Economic Partnership Agreement (SADC-EU EPAs)
Countries/Members Size, Liberalization & Market Access
EU 27/28
  • 500 million population
  • Duty free entry for Swazi products to EU 27
  • Simplified rules of origin including cummulation
SACU-European Free Trade Association (PTA)
Countries/Members Size, Liberalization & Market Access
Switzerland, Iceland, Norway, Lichtenstein
  • 12.8 million population
  • Preferential market access for Swaziland products mostly in agriculture
SACU – MERCOSOUR (PTA)
Countries/Members Size, Liberalization & Market Access
Brazil, Argentina, Uruguay, Paraguay
  • 241 million population
  • Preferential market access
Tripartite Free Trade Area (COMESA-EAC-SADC)
Countries/Members Size, Liberalization & Market Access
27 countries in COMESA-EAC-SADC
  • Combined population of over 500 million and GDP of over US$800 billion
  • Under negotiations until 2014 Will increase Africa intra trade
African Continental Free Trade area (AfCTA)Tripartite Free Trade Area (COMESA-EAC-SADC)
Countries/Members Size, Liberalization & Market Access
All 54 countries of Africa
  • Still under negotiations