European Union – Singapore Free Trade Agreement (EUSFTA)

About this agreement

The European Union – Singapore Free Trade Agreement (EUSFTA) eliminates tariffs on 84% of all Singapore products within the first year of entering the EU (2019). Tariffs on the remaining 16% of all Singapore products are eliminated over three to five years (2021 to 2023).

21 November 2019

Entry into force

1 February 2020 – 31 December 2020

During the Brexit transition period, the United Kingdom was treated functionally as an EU Member State and remained a party to EU international agreements.

1 January 2023

Harmonised System (HS) codes and description of products in Annex B and B(a) of Protocol 1 have been updated as a result of HS 2022 transposition. Companies can refer to Annexes 1, 2 and 3 of the Decision No. 01/2022 of the Committee of Customs of the Free Trade Agreement between the European Union and the Republic of Singapore for more information. Statement of Origin will no longer be required to bear exporter’s original signatures in manuscript.

Key benefits

Enhanced market access
- Enhanced market access for Asian food products made in Singapore, such as lap cheong (dried Chinese sausage) and sambal ikan bilis (spicy crispy anchovies). These can enter the EU tariff-free under flexible Rules of Origins, up to a combined quota of 1,250 tonnes annually.
- Enhanced market access for service providers, professionals and investors, and creates a level playing field for businesses in each other’s markets, including through certain sectors’ specific rules on non-discrimination and transparency. The agreement covers a wide range of service sectors including financial services, professional services, computer and related services, research and development, business services, telecommunication services, environmental services, and tourism and travel-related services.
Removed technical barriers to trade
Unnecessary technical barriers to trade (TBT) for Singapore and EU exporters which sometimes make it difficult for companies to sell their products in different markets will be removed. A wide range of sectors in both the EU and Singapore will benefit, such as electronics, motor vehicles and vehicle parts, pharmaceuticals, renewable energy, as well as meat and meat products.
Enhanced access to city-level and municipal-level government procurement (GP) opportunities
Companies that will benefit include those with strengths in computer-related services, telecommunications services, land transport services, maintenance and repair services, sewage and refuse disposal, and architecture and engineering services.

Eligibility

Use the Tariff Finder to see if your product is eligible to enjoy this FTA's tariff concessions.

Access the Tariff Finder

Alternatively, you can explore the following steps to check your eligibility.

Your product’s preferential rate

If your product’s HS code is included in the Tariff Schedule of the EU, the respective staging categories (3, 5, or X) apply to the elimination of customs duties. Otherwise, the customs duty will be eliminated upon entry into force of the EUSFTA.

Your product’s rule of origin

Rules of origin are a set of criteria which determine a product's originating status in each respective FTA.

It is put in place to ensure that only goods originating from the FTA partner countries will benefit from tariff concessions.


Is your product obtained/produced entirely within Singapore?		Your product is considered wholly obtained in Singapore

Product Specific Rules apply Learn more.



Is your product obtained/produced entirely within Singapore?

	Your product is considered wholly obtained in Singapore

Product Specific Rules apply Learn more.

Please refer to Annex B of Protocol 1 for the Product Specific Rules.

For goods affected by HS 2022 transposition (with effect from 1 Jan 2023)
Please refer to Annexes 1, 2 and 3 of Decision No 01/2022: Annex B, B(a) and D to Protocol 1 respectively to obtain information on the updated HS codes and product descriptions.

Apply

Under the EUSFTA, the exporter shall submit a statement of declaration on the invoice, or any other commercial document which certifies that the goods qualify as originating goods for their import into the EU. The origin declaration shall contain the text and details as set out in Annex E of Protocol 1 of the legal text, and must describe the goods in sufficient detail to enable their identification by the importing customs authority. Statements on origin will no longer have to bear exporters’ original signatures in manuscript. This can help to reduce the number of steps/processing for exporters, especially those who use declaring agents for their export processes.