EU-EAC interim FTA (2007)
AGREEMENT ESTABLISHING A FRAMEWORK FOR AN ECONOMIC PARTNERSHIP AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE EAST AFRICAN COMMUNITY PARTNER STATES ON ONE PART AND THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITY AND ITS MEMBER STATES ON THE OTHER PART
As intitialled in Uganda on 27 November 2007
"On November 23 in Uganda the European Commission and the East African Community initialled an interim EPA agreement. This agreement will apply to the EU and to Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Rwanda and Burundi. Negotiators agreed that the first phase of negotiations for an EPA had been successfully completed and that they would continue negotiations towards a full EPA in 2008 and a
rendezvous clause is included in the agreement to this effect.
Goods Covered
The agreement allows for 100% liberalisation by value by the EU as of 1 January 2008 (with transition periods for rice and sugar) and 82% liberalisation by value by the East African Community (64% in two years, 80% in 15 years, the remainder in 25 years). It covers 100% of EU tariff lines and 74% of EAC tariff lines.
Goods Excluded
Exclusions include: agricultural products, wines and spirits, chemicals, plastics, wood based paper,textiles and clothing, footwear, glassware. The main criterion of these exclusions is the desire to protect infant industry.
Other features
The agreement contains an extensive fisheries chapter, mainly aiming at reinforcing cooperation on sustainable use of resources."
