EAC-EU Economic Partnership Agreement

On 14 October 2014, The European Union (EU) and The East African Community (EAC) partner states signed an agreement establishing an economic partnership between the two parties. This Agreement was also signed by the Permanent Secretaries from all EAC partner states.-By Diane Uwimana

The Economic Partnership Agreement focuses on trade regimes for goods, fisheries, agriculture, economic and development cooperation, good governance concerning taxes, customs duties on products originating in the EAC partner states, customs on products originating in the EU party and infrastructure.

Customs duties should be eliminated on agricultural products originating in the EU. “Customs duties should be abolished at the entrance of the EAC territory.”

Jean Pierre Bacanamwo from the Ministry in charge of EAC Affairs advised that the commission in charge of the partnership is waiting for EAC Ministers to sign the Agreement. “Then, it will be conducted in the National Assembly and Senate in each EAC partner state to be analyzed before being ratified by the Heads of States and coming into force”, stated Bacanamwo. He also noted that the process takes time, and that its implementation should come in by June 2105.