Business updates

SEYCHELLES: The 161st Member of the World Trade Organisation

On 26th April 2015, after about 20 years of negotiations, the WTO welcomed Seychelles as its 161st Member. As a Member of the WTO, Seychelles:

a) benefits from liberalised trade based on multilateral rules with other WTO Members

b) can use the WTO dispute settlement system

c) has committed to apply WTO rules and to open its markets according to the membership deal

For agricultural goods, Seychelles has undertaken tariff concessions and commitments that bind the tariff rate at an average of 16.9% whereas for non-agricultural products, the average rate is 8.3%. Seychelles has also committed to join the Information Technology Agreement (ITA) that provides for participants to eliminate duties on IT products covered by the ITA.

As regards to commitments in services, Seychelles has made specific commitments in 11 service sectors, including 97 sub-sectors.

A list of Seychelles' commitments can be accessed here.