support to the implementation of the ecowas fta · promoting west african trade integration (watip)...

Promoting West African Trade Integration (WATIP)

Implemented by

Support to the Implementation of the

ECOWAS FTA Borderless Alliance Conference, Abidjan

May 21, 2015

Amanda Bisong, Advisor Trade and Customs, GIZ

This project is co-funded by the European Union and the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development Implemented by

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STRUCTURE OF THE PRESENTATION

• INTRODUCTION – ETLS, CET, Trade

facilitation

• CURRENT STATUS - Challenges

• WATIP FOCUS

• SUPPORTED ACTIVITIES

• THE WAY FORWARD

ECOWAS Trade Liberalisation Scheme


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ETLS created in 1975 focused on movement of Agricultural products &

handicrafts.

The Scheme was expanded in 1990 to include industrial products.

ECOWAS Common External Tariff


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CATEGORY TARIFF NUMBER OF

TARIFF LINES

Category 0: Basic social goods 0% 85

Category 1: Basic Goods, Basic Raw

Materials, Capital Goods and Specific

inputs

5% 2146

Category 2: Inputs and intermediate

goods

10% 1373

Category 3: Final Consumer Goods and

Other products not classified elsewhere

20% 2166

Category 4: Specific Goods for Economic

Development

35% 130

Trade Facilitation


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TransparencySimplification

Harmonization Standardization

Trade Facilitation

INTRA REGIONAL TRADE IN ECOWAS


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2008 2011 2013

000 million $ 19.184 23.44 27.221

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

00

0 m

illi

on

$

NUMBER OF ETLS APPROVED PRODUCTS PER YEAR


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2010 2011 2012 2013 2014

Approved per year 148 131 186 416

Number of approved

products3589 3737 3868 4054 4470

0

1000

2000

3000

4000

5000

6000

Nu

mb

er

of

Ap

pro

ve

d p

rod

uct

sChart Title

INTRA REGIONAL TRADE IN AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTS


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CURRENT STATUS - Challenges


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• Non tariff barriers in intra-regional trade in agricultural products

• Information for Traders, Customs officers and customs agents on regional trade rules

• Available data on trade in agricultural products

for policy input

• Standards and harmonisation of

standards

IMPLEMENTATION

LEVELPOLICY LEVEL

WATIP’S SPECIFIC OBJECTIVES

• Accelerate the process of achieving a customs union in West Africa

• Developing a common trade policy

• Facilitating the harmonisation of trade-related policies (regulations) and statistical data

• Disseminating trade-related information


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WATIP’S FOCUS


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Implementation of the Free Trade

Area

Progression from an FTA to a Customs

Union

Efficient and Transparent processes

Dispute settlement / channels to

address grievances

ACTIVITIES


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Sensitization activities on the ETLS & CET

Encourage discussions and dialogue between partners

ACTIVITIES


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Support the Commission in the implementation of regulations

Specialized training courses to promote businesses in the

region


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THE WAY FORWARD

• Making the processes more efficient. The need to review

and update the texts

• More training and sensitization activities to be carried out

for key stakeholders

• Need for buy-in of stakeholders especially political

stakeholders. Fostering trust between all parties

• Data capture system for trade in agricultural products

THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION!


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Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH

GIZ Support Programme to the ECOWAS Commission

P.O Box 5374, Area 10, Garki, Abuja/Nigeria

www.giz.de

Amanda Bisong

Advisor Trade and Customs

[email protected]

support to the implementation of the ecowas fta · promoting west african trade integration (watip)...

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