Costa Rica has been granted accession to the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership, opening another market inside the trade bloc that the UK joined in late 2024. For small UK exporters, the announcement is not an instant sales lead, but it is a timely signal to revisit whether CPTPP markets could fit their next stage of growth.
The Department for Business and Trade said on 7 May 2026 that Costa Rica will formally join the UK as a member of CPTPP once its accession is ratified. The government says the expanded bloc has a combined GDP of £13 trillion, based on 2025 data, and that UK businesses will be able to use new market access from day one after ratification.
What has been announced
Costa Rica has been approved to join CPTPP, the trade bloc that already includes countries such as Japan, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Singapore and the UK. The practical detail for UK firms is that Costa Rica’s accession should bring clearer and more predictable rules for goods, services, investment and public procurement between CPTPP members.
According to the UK government, exporters will gain duty-free access within quotas for some goods including cheese, confectionery and animal feed. It says pork and biscuits are due to become duty-free within five years, beef within eight years and cheese within 12 years. The announcement also says UK companies will have legally guaranteed access to bid for Costa Rican public procurement under CPTPP rules.
The services angle may matter just as much as goods for some SMEs. Costa Rica has agreed to liberalise professional services across 19 regulated professions, including legal, accounting and engineering services. The government says the country is also offering new temporary entry routes for categories such as contractual service suppliers, independent professionals and specialised technicians.
Why this matters for SMEs
Many small firms hear “trade bloc” and assume it is only relevant to large exporters. In practice, smaller manufacturers, food producers, professional services firms and specialist consultancies can be among the businesses most likely to benefit from clearer overseas rules, especially where they already have a niche product or expertise that travels well.
That does not mean Costa Rica will suddenly become the right market for every UK SME. Distance, distribution, documentation, payment risk, insurance, after-sales support and local competition still matter. But the CPTPP framework can reduce some of the uncertainty that makes smaller firms reluctant to test new markets.
For goods exporters, the useful question is whether any tariff changes, quotas or phase-in periods could improve margins enough to justify market research. A biscuit maker, specialist food producer, animal feed supplier or smaller manufacturer may not act immediately, but should know whether the rules are moving in their favour.
For services firms, the opportunity may be less visible but more interesting. Engineering, accounting, legal and technical consultancy businesses often need clarity on whether they can serve clients, bid for work, send people temporarily or operate without getting caught in avoidable regulatory barriers. The announcement suggests those rules should become more open for UK professionals once the accession process is complete.
What small businesses should check now
First, do not treat the announcement as a reason to rush. Costa Rica’s accession still needs ratification, and the useful commercial detail will depend on the product, service and route to market. A sensible first step is to check the government’s export market guidance and note whether Costa Rica or other CPTPP countries already match your sector.
Second, review where your business already has export signals. Website enquiries, distributor conversations, trade show contacts, marketplace orders and repeat overseas questions can all reveal demand before a formal export plan exists. If any of those signals point towards Central America or existing CPTPP markets, this announcement may be worth a closer look.
Third, check the numbers carefully. A lower tariff does not automatically mean a profitable export. SMEs still need to price in shipping, customs paperwork, currency movement, product standards, returns, local support and the working capital needed while goods or invoices are in transit. For firms already under pressure from slower demand at home, it is worth reading this alongside our wider note on the UK economy and what small businesses should watch now.
Fourth, services firms should look beyond goods headlines. If your business sells technical expertise, design, professional advice, software implementation, training or specialist engineering support, the temporary entry and regulated-profession changes may be more relevant than any goods tariff schedule.
The practical takeaway
Costa Rica joining CPTPP is not a guaranteed opportunity, but it is a useful prompt for export-minded SMEs. The best response is measured: identify whether your product or service fits the market, check the official guidance, speak to advisers or trade bodies where needed, and only then decide whether Costa Rica belongs in your export pipeline.
For small firms that already sell overseas, the bigger message is that CPTPP is still expanding. Keeping a simple watchlist of markets, tariff changes and services access can help SMEs spot opportunities early, without being pushed into a costly export move before the business case is clear.
Sources: Department for Business and Trade announcement on Costa Rica’s CPTPP accession; UK government export market guidance.
