A monitoring system will be soon be put in place to see how Fiji’s trade with the European market impacts development in the country.

This comes as Fiji has been able to increase trade to the European market over the past decade through the European Union’s Economic Partnership Agreement.

The partnership agreement allows for Fiji and four other Pacific Nations to export products to the European market with free tariffs and quotas.

European Commission, Co-Chair Erja Askola says the monitoring mechanism will be set up in each of their partner countries as development is something that comes with the economic partnership agreement.

“We should not forget that the EPA’s were developed and designed as development instruments, they are not only for free trade they are also about mobilizing development cooperation and addressing the challenges that our partner countries may have.”

 Askola also highlighted that the EU tackles all these issues in partnership with institutions that are in place with governments and also reach out to the private sector and civil society to get a full picture of the work happening on the ground.