Réunion: sanctions and trade risk

No elevated indicator

As of 7 November 2026, the screened UN, EU, UK, Swiss and US sanctions lists contain 0 companies, organisations, vessels and aircraft linked to Réunion.Lists last checked 2026-11-07 21:01 UTC.

Logistics profile: ports, airports, customs, documents, holidays, news ↓

No elevated country indicator for Réunion in the route rules Sanctioni uses. That is not a clearance: goods may still be export-controlled, and parties in Réunion may still be on a list.

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On the sanctions lists

No entry on the 7 lists Sanctioni screens names Réunion.

Latest changes

No new listings or removals naming Réunion recorded yet.

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Logistics profile

Réunion: logistics and trade

Regional supply and transhipment hub in the southwestern Indian Ocean with very high import dependence and growing container transhipment.

Réunion (ISO code: RE) is an island in the Indian Ocean east of Madagascar and geographically belongs to East Africa. Politically it is a French overseas department and therefore an integral part of the European Union. The climate is tropical with year-round warm temperatures, high humidity and a pronounced rainy and cyclone season. The economy is strongly service oriented, dominated by tourism, public administration and construction. Its logistical importance stems from its island location and its role as a regional supply and transhipment point in the south-western Indian Ocean. Foreign trade shows only small exports, while imports of food, fuels, consumer and capital goods dominate. Import dependence is very high due to limited local production capacity. A supra-regional transit function is limited and focuses on regional sea and air transport. The currency is the euro (EUR).

Capital: Saint-Denis
Population: 896,200
Area: 2,512 km²
Currency: Euro (EUR)
Continent: Africa
Region: Indian Ocean / Mascarene Islands
Economic area: EU customs territory (French overseas department, outside the EU VAT area)
Religions: Christianity, Hinduism
Access to the sea: Yes

Transport modes Road

Current situation: Port Réunion benefits in 2024 as a transhipment hub from the diversion around the Cape of Good Hope (Red Sea crisis); transhipment has risen sharply.
Seasonal conditions: Pronounced cyclone season from November to April with possible port and airport closures and delays in the supply chain.

Main seaports

Port Est
Port Est is the container basin of Port Réunion in the Indian Ocean: about 250,000 TEU a year, ships up to 9,000 TEU, plus vehicles, dry bulk and breakbulk.
Port Ouest
Port Ouest, Réunion: historic basin for fishing, ship repair and pleasure craft. Container and cargo handling takes place at nearby Port Est.

Main cargo airports

Roland Garros AirportRUN
Roland Garros Airport (RUN/FMEE), Réunion: 30,699 t of air cargo in 2025, 71% imports, perishables, EU customs status, handling and alternatives.
Pierrefonds AirportZSE
Pierrefonds (ZSE), Saint-Pierre, Réunion: small southern second airport, regional flights to Mauritius/Mayotte, no air cargo—freight via Roland Garros.

Road corridors

Nouvelle Route du Littoral (NRL) and Route des Tamarins as main coastal axes
Ring road RN1/RN2 around the island

Main trade lanes

France and Europe - Réunion (sea and air)
Asia - Réunion via transhipment
South Africa, Mauritius and Madagascar in regional traffic

Customs and import

Customs authority Direction générale des douanes et droits indirects (DGDDI)Official website ↗

Import customs system: French EU customs procedure via the DGDDI; electronic clearance in DELTA IE (Volet Import), DELTA G/X and DELTA H7 for consignments up to 150 euros.
Export customs system: Export and dispatch from the DROM via the DGDDI in DELTA IE (Volet Export); same procedures as in mainland France under the Union Customs Code.
Import VAT: Standard VAT rate 8,5 percent, reduced rate 2,1 percent (special DOM rates); additionally octroi de mer on imports.
Proofs of origin and trade agreements: As part of the EU customs territory, EU preferential agreements apply; proofs of origin EUR.1, origin declaration and registered exporter (REX).
Restricted and prohibited goods: Import bans and restrictions under EU and French law (including weapons, species protected under CITES, certain agricultural and plant products).

Typical import documents

Commercial invoice
Packing list
Bill of lading (B/L) or air waybill (AWB)
Customs declaration in DELTA
Octroi de mer declaration
Proof of origin for preference

Typical export documents

Commercial invoice
Packing list
Export declaration in DELTA
Waybill
Proof of origin EUR.1 or REX for preference

Logistics conditions

Customs complexity: Medium
Customs delays: Low to medium
Port congestion: Medium
Dangerous goods relevance: Medium
Pharma and cold chain relevance: Medium
E-commerce relevance: Medium to high

Trade

Top import partners

France China South Africa India United Arab Emirates

Top export partners

France Mauritius Madagascar South Africa

Top import goods

Food
Petroleum products
Vehicles
Machinery
Construction materials

Top export goods

Sugar
Rum
Agricultural products

Typical cargo

Food
Fuels and petroleum products
Building materials
Vehicles
Consumer goods
Sugar and rum (export)

Logistics questions

Is Réunion part of the EU and the EU customs territory?

Yes. Réunion is a French overseas department and part of the EU customs territory, but it lies outside the EU VAT area.

Which VAT applies to imports into Réunion?

French VAT at special overseas rates: a standard rate of 8.5 percent and a reduced rate of 2.1 percent.

What is the octroi de mer?

A regional levy on all goods imported into Réunion, including those from mainland France and the EU; it is collected by the regional council and the rates vary by product.

Which seaport is decisive for Réunion?

The Grand Port Maritime de La Réunion (Port Est in Le Port). Around 377,000 TEU were handled in 2024, with transhipment traffic growing strongly.

Which airports handle air cargo?

Mainly Roland Garros (RUN) near Sainte-Marie with around 29,189 tonnes of freight in 2024, supplemented by Pierrefonds (ZSE) near Saint-Pierre.

How does customs clearance work?

Through the French customs administration DGDDI with electronic declarations in DELTA IE (import and export), DELTA G/X and DELTA H7 for consignments up to 150 euros.

Are there particular supply chain risks?

The cyclone season from November to April can temporarily close ports and airports; in addition, the island location creates a very high dependence on imports.

Full logistics profile on Freight Academy ↗