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EAC

East African Community


Trade blocs agree to simple rules of origin
Three leading regional trading blocs in Africa — EAC, COMESA and SADC — have simplified the rules of origin to be applied by all member states in a move aimed at boosting intra-continental trade.
East Africa may delay trade pact with EU: Tanzania
The East African Community bloc is likely to delay signing a new trade deal with the European Union because fresh issues have been introduced in the negotiations, Tanzania’s trade minister said.
Uganda raises concerns on asset protection plan
Uganda on Thursday adopted a cautious stand as negotiations on a regional common market entered a sensitive phase in which experts sought to find the most appropriate deals on protection of foreign investments
EAC Regional: Private sector ambivalent on EPAs
Uganda, Tanzania, Rwanda and Burundi all qualify for free EU market access under the Everything But Arms (EBA) scheme, but chose to sign a joint EPA with Kenya to preserve the EAC customs union. As the conclusion of the EPA negotiations approaches and the global economic crisis continues, the debate over how an EPA will affect East Africa has produced few clear answers.
‘Negotiations for a comprehensive EPA on track’
"The European Commission-East African Community interim economic partnership agreement on trade in goods, which we initialled in November 2007, should be signed shortly", says an EU representative
26 African states sign free trade area agreement
Twenty six African countries seeking to merge their economies into a single trading bloc that controls a combined wealth of $ 624m and a market of 527m people moved to a definitive stage after their leaders approved plans to establish a free trade area early this week.
Bloc warned against signing EPA blindly
East African Community (EAC) member states should not sign the Economic Partnership Agreement (Epa) three months to come unless shortcomings are addressed, local civil society organisations (CSOs) have warned.
Trade unions set terms for EPA talks
The East Africa Trade Union Congress (EATUC) has joined groups that want the deadline for the signing of the Economic Partnership Agreements (EPA) between the East Africa Community and the European Commission extended.
EAC seeks trade in services with EU
Business leaders from East Africa have commenced discussions on how best the five member states of East Africa can export services to European markets under the current Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) negotiations.
Migration issues a top priority in common market talks: EAC
The on-going East African Common Market Protocol negotiations give migration issues priority, East African Community secretary-general Juma Mwapachi has said.
Ministers pledge to remove trade barriers
East African Community (EAC) Council of ministers has set up a monitoring mechanism to deal with non-tariff trade barriers (NTBs) that have ruined investor confidence.
Updates And Timelines of EAC Common Market Negotiations
It is now a year and half since Rwanda and Burundi acceded to the East African Community (EAC). Things now seem moving faster.
Kagame raps EAC failures
Lack of political will and enforcement of protocols and treaties is dragging the implementation of the regional integration process, the East African Community (EAC) Chairman and Rwandan President, Mr Paul Kagame has said.
EAC Common Market Talks Reach Agreement On Key Issues
The 6th East African Community (EAC) Common Market talks ended Wednesday positively with negotiators reaching a consensus on new issues.
The trouble with our Africa trade negotiators
Agricultural and development economies in Sub-Saharan Africa are the flavour of the month. The global credit crisis, wide-scale economic meltdown and financial recession have sparked a wave of interest about the implications for Africa. It is crucial that this discussion happens.
EAC ties future trade talks to funds for development
Trade negotiations between the East African Community (EAC) and the European Union (EU) must include a development agenda, a senior trade official has said.
Together we are stronger
Twenty six African countries, a single market and open borders that allow persons to move across freely and conduct business. That was the vision of the Tripartite Summit that took place in Kampala last week. President Jakaya Kikwete of Tanzania called it “a landmark summit for a landmark decision” while President Yoweri Museveni said it was “historic”.
Tanzania’s land policy unruffled by planned EAC market
The planned common market of the East African Community (EAC) that is expected to become operational in 2010 will not affect Tanzania’s land policy, it has been said. Opening a parliamentary seminar that discussed the EAC common market debate here yesterday, the Minister for East African Cooperation Dr Diodorus Kamala insisted that foreigners would not be given mandate to buy or own land in Tanzania.
Afro-trade bloc will draw FDI and reduce costs, SADC boss
The proposed merger of the EAC, SADC and COMESA will help reduce the cost of doing business for companies within the 26 countries and boost foreign direct investment (FDI) to levels never seen before.
EAC states should agree to one trading bloc, says IMF
The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has challenged three East African Community (EAC) partner states to agree to one regional trade bloc in order to make the customs union (CU) more effective.