Atelier CNUCED - Bamako, Mali 10 Juillet 2008 East African Community Forum on Trade Facilitation Kigali, Rwanda, 22 -26 May 2013 Regional challenges and opportunities: a comparison United Nations Conference on Trade and Development 10 Juillet 2008 Pratique de la méthodologie Pratique de la méthodologie

Some elements for further reflexions

Strenghts (1/2) Regional market EAC Customs Union, a powerfull integration factor: (i) Application of a common Customs law; (ii) Implementation of a Common External Tariff; (iii) Elimination of internal tariffs; (iv) Elimination of charges and discriminatory treatment to goods traded among Partners; and (v) Export promotion and competitiveness. Based on the EAC Customs Management Act, 2004, the EAC Common External Tariff Handbook, the Internal Tariff Handbook, the Rules of Origin, and the EAC Customs Union Protocol.

Strenghts (2/2) The EAC customs law has been considerably designed according to the provisions of the Revised Kyoto Convention. In some cases, the concepts and the terminology used in the Revised Kyoto Convention are the same or identical with those used in the EAC Customs Management Act, 2004 or the EAC Customs Management Regulations, 2006. In fact, there are many cases in which the provisions of the Revised Kyoto Convention were directly transposed into the EAC customs law.

Weaknesses Three landlocked countries and two coastal countries working together thru Transport Corridor Clusters. EAC still requires better regulations with regard to the use of modern administrative methods and techniques such as risk management and the use of ICT (information and communication technology) for further simplification of customs procedures and practices. Although some EAC Partner States have some programmes that grant special clearance procedures to selected traders, there are: no precise regulations at EAC level which deal with the issue of special procedures for authorized persons; no clear rules and guidelines that govern the application of risk management at a regional level (need to be addressed by the EAC legislators). Multiplicity of agencies regulating trade. Lack of legal mandate on part of the EAC Secretariat to enforce trade facilitation instruments. Limited role of NTTFCs.

Opportunities WTO Negotiations on TF: Harmonisation and complementarity between different needs assessment processes Existing regional activities by WCO (as an example): Columbus programme; Regional Office for Capacity Building (ROCB); Economic Competitiveness Package (ECP) Accession to RKC: Uganda (27-06-2002); Kenya (25-06-2010); Rwanda (21-11-2011) Preparation for the CONTINENTAL FREE TRADE AREA (CFTA); Interest of donor countries to fund national and regional reform programmes on TF.

Threats Lack of leadership / «Champion» for the necessary TF reforms. Need to enhance the role of National Trade Facilitation Committees.

Countries by conformity status

Measures PARTIALLY conform Out of 38 measures

Measures NO conform Out of 38 measures

Measures CONFORM Out of 38 measures

All levels of conformity Out of 38 measures

Conformity by country

BURUNDI (2012)

KENYA (2008)

RWANDA (2013)

TANZANIA (2012)

UGANDA (2012)

EAC Overall conformity (except KENYA)

Domains for joint work, sharing of experiences and regional activities THINKING AHEAD: Domains for joint work, sharing of experiences and regional activities

Conformity status by Article (BUR, TAN, UGA, RWA) Forum #2: Publication Forum #2: Alerts/Tests Forum #1: Border Cooperation Forum #1: Single Window

Do you have any suggestion to foster Trade Facilitation through regional coordination and cooperation ?