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EPA with the EU and the UK: duty free access for Dominican exporters

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Last verified: 2026-10-30 · Status: Stable

The CARIFORUM EPA took effect with the EU in January 2009, per MICM, giving 98.5% of the region's exports free entry, with Dominican tariff cuts over up to 25 years. A separate CARIFORUM UK EPA replicates this for Britain. Exporters use an EUR 1 certificate issued through Aduanas.

USD figures use the Banco Central de la República Dominicana reference selling rate of RD$60.8594 per US dollar for 28 October 2026, the latest row in its published rate file on the verification date and the rate Aduanas lists for 29 October 2026, rounded to the cent.

Key facts

Agreement with the European UnionCARIFORUM EU EPA textMICM questions page, as of 2026-10-30 · in force
Share of regional exports with free EU entry98.5 %MICM questions page, as of 2026-10-30 · in force
Longest CARIFORUM phase out25 yearsMICM questions page, as of 2026-10-30 · in force
Agreement with the United KingdomCARIFORUM UK EPA, in effect textUK government guidance, as of 2026-10-30 · in force
Value limit noted for unregistered statements, Norway and Switzerland6000 EURAduanas REX protocol, as of 2026-10-30 · in force

The rule

1. The EPA was signed in October 2008 and took effect in January 2009 with the EU states, per MICM. Congress approved it by Resolución 453-08 of 27 October 2008.MICM; Resolución 453-08, Acuerdos vigentes, 2008-10-27 official text · verified 2026-10-30
2. The EU granted free access to 98.5% of the region's exports, while the CARIFORUM side phases out over up to 25 years and some goods are excluded indefinitely.MICM, Integración Comercial, Acuerdos vigentes, 2008-10-27 official text · verified 2026-10-30
3. The UK guidance says the EPA with CARIFORUM is in effect, lists the Dominican Republic as covered and says the UK gives immediate duty free, quota free access to CARIFORUM goods.UK government guidance on the CARIFORUM UK EPA, Summary, 2026-10-30 official text · verified 2026-10-30
4. Aduanas issues EUR 1 movement certificates, with a separate line for the UK and CARIFORUM.
Cost to do it: EUR 1 certificate RD$450.00 (US$7.39), origin form RD$300.00 (US$4.93).Norma General 01-2023 de la DGA, First, fee table, 2023-12-11 official text · verified 2026-10-30
5. Separately, shipments to Norway and Switzerland under their preference systems use self certification through the Registered Exporter system from 1 July 2020, and the invoice statement route covers goods up to EUR 6,000 without registration.Aduanas, Protocolo de Cumplimiento para el Exportador Registrado, sections 1 and 2, 2019-12-04 official text · verified 2026-10-30

Worked example

  • A rum exporter sends a US$50,000 lot to Spain. Customs costs at home are the RD$300.00 export declaration and the RD$450.00 EUR 1 certificate, about US$12.32 in total, if the product meets the origin rule.

Step by step

  1. Confirm that the goods meet the origin protocol.
  2. Apply for the EUR 1 through the Aduanas system and attach it to the export declaration.
  3. Send the original to the buyer before clearance.
  4. Keep production and cost records for checks.

Common traps

  • The UK is a separate treaty, so check that certificates name the right partner.
  • Some Dominican tariff lines stay excluded from cuts, so EU goods do not always enter free.
  • The REX system on the Aduanas protocol is for Norway and Switzerland, not the EPA.
  • The exact date the UK deal began to apply for the Dominican Republic was not found in an official text, so it is left out here.

Sources

Related pages

Related: Dominican Republic country profile · live dashboard · central bank and release calendar · our posts on X · where Argentina is involved, see The Argentine Thread guide

← DR-CAFTA: tariff preferences with the United States and Central AmericaCentral America, CARICOM and Panama: the smaller Dominican trade deals →

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