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East Africa bloc to review common external tariff

Xinhua, February 24, 2017 Adjust font size:

East African Community (EAC) member states are fast tracking a comprehensive review of the Common External Tariff (CET) in order to protect infant industries, officials said on Friday.

Kenya's Ministry of EAC Affairs, Labour and Social Protection Permanent Secretary Betty Maina said the EAC will review the criteria used in classifying goods that enter the EAC.

"The intention of the review is to make the rules of trade facility as well as attract investments into the region," Maina said during the third EAC manufacturers' network meeting.

"The review will also include reforms of duty remissions and exemptions schemes in order to create a fair play ground for manufacturers in the EAC partner states," she added.

The two-day event brought together the EAC's business community to review ways to improve the business environment in the region. EAC member states include Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Rwanda, Burundi and South Sudan.

The last comprehensive CET review was done in 2010.

In 2016, the EAC council of ministers directed the EAC secretariat to complete the review in one year.

The CET is structured under three bands: zero percent for raw materials and capital goods, 10 percent for intermediate goods and 25 percent for finished goods.

Maina said that rules for exemptions to the CET will also be put in place in order to promote transparency in cross border trade. Endit