The World Customs Organization (WCO), under the framework of the EU-WCO Rules of Origin Africa Programme funded by the European Union, and in partnership with the ESA ROCB and the RTC Mombasa held regional consultations for the East African Community (EAC) and the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA) and their members. The consultations were held in Mombasa, Kenya, on 5 June 2023 and were followed by a training workshop on rules of origin on 6-9 June.
The objective of the consultations was to discuss the state of play for the implementation of applicable preferential rules of origin and trade agreements in the region, and address challenges in the implementation of rules of origin (RoO) in the region. The consultations was an opportunity to take stock of capacity building and technical assistance needs, and consider best avenues for regional and national initiatives focusing on RoO.
WCO RTC Kenya, WCO ESA ROCB and the EU-WCO RoO Africa Programme, opened the consultation meeting, stressing the importance of streamlined, predictable, and transparent RoO processes and capacity building for all relevant stakeholders for efficient trade facilitation and regional integration.
The consultation was also an occasion for the exchange of experiences and lessons learned from different countries especially in the area of self-certification and electronic certification. The outcomes of this consultation will feed into the work plan of the EU-WCO RoO Africa Programme and steer the partnership and support for the EAC and COMESA and their members.
During the technical workshop, participants worked on key concepts for proper origin determination, related operational and procedural issues, including origin certification and origin irregularities, as well as the establishment of efficient origin management. In addition, participants discussed specific areas of concern, including the low level of knowledge and use of the FTAs and challenges linked to verification of origin including trough administrative cooperation. They also discussed recommendations for better management and implementation of rules of origin on a national and regional level.
The EU-WCO Rules of Origin Africa Programme will conduct further consultations with other Regional Economic Communities (RECs) with the aim to provide meaningful and targeted capacity building and technical assistance in the implementation of the AfCFTA Agreement, EPAs, and other FTAs as well as exploring other opportunities for streamlining processes in Africa.
For further information please contact EU-WCORoOAfrica.Program@wcoomd.org