A training program led by a trade policy consultant based in Wellington NZ, Ms. Tracey Epps, is currently underway to equip relevant government agencies for Tonga’s upcoming accession to the Interim Economic Partnership Agreement (iEPA).

The iEPA is a trade agreement between the European Union (EU) and Pacific states, which grants duty-free and quota-free access to the EU market for goods from Pacific nations. In return, these countries will gradually lower tariffs on certain EU goods like modern machinery or technology which could help local industries improve productivity and efficiency.

MTED submitted Tonga’s Market Access Offer and request to accede to the iEPA last year July and the European Commission responded September last year proceeding with the necessary steps for Tonga’s formal approval, while Tonga complete its own internal procedure.

This initiative is supported by the SPIRIT (Strengthening Pacific Intra-Regional and International Trade) project managed by the Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat and funded by the European Union.

Naʻe fakalele ʻe ha mataotao mei he Nuʻusila ʻi he malaʻe ʻo e fefakatauʻakí, Ms. Tracey Epps ha ki’i polokalama ako nounou ʻaho 2 ki he kau ngāue mei he ngaahi Potungāue felālāveʻi ʻa e Puleʻangá ke fakataukei ʻa e ʻilo ki he Aleapau Fakataimi ki he Fengāueʻaki Fakaʻekonōmika (iEPA) ʻa ia ʻoku kei ngāue ke fakamoʻoni ʻa Tongá ni ki ai.

Ko e aleapaú ni ‘i he vaha’a ‘o e ʻIunioni Fakatahataha ʻo ʻIulope (EU) mo e ngaahi fonua ‘o e Pasifiki, ‘aki ‘a e hū tauʻatāina mo taʻe fakangatangata atu ʻa e ngaahi koloa pau ki he māketi ʻIulope pea fakasiʻisiʻi leva ʻa e tute ʻi he ngaahi koloa hū mai mei ʻIulope hangē ko e ngaahi misini ngāue, naunau fakatekinolosia mo e ngaahi koloa kehekehe pē ʻoku fakapapauʻi ʻe ʻikai tene uesia e māketi fakalotofonuá.

Ko e ngaahi koloa filifili pe ko e lisi tute ʻo e ngaahi koloa ke hū mai ʻi he alepau iEPA ne fakahū atu ʻe he Puleʻangá ʻi he taʻu kuoʻosí pea ne tali ʻe he Talekita Seniale ʻo e Komisoni ʻa ʻIulope ʻi Sepitema taʻu kuoʻosí ke fakakakato e ngaahi fiemaʻu ke kau ‘a Tongá ni ki he aleapaú ni taimi tatau pe mo hono fakakakato ʻe Tongá ni ʻa e ngaahi ngaue fakaloto fonua ke kau atu ki he aleapau ni.

Ko e ngāué ni ʻoku tokoniʻi ʻe he poloseki SPIRIT ʻa ia ʻoku puleʻi ia ʻe he ‘Ofisi Fakasekelitali ʻa e ngaahi fonua ‘o e Pasifiki (PIFS) pea fakapaʻanga pe ʻe he EU.