EUROPEAN UNION

PRESS RELEASE
Wednesday, 11 March, 2015

Stakeholders discuss the Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA)

between the East African Community and the European Union
Wednesday, 11 March 2015; Dar es Salaam: The Delegation of the European Union (EU) to Tanzania and
the EAC, holds today an information session on the Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) between the
East African Community (EAC) and the European Union. It gathers stakeholders from the public and private
sector from the EAC region, especially Tanzania, as well as EU representatives active in the region. The
objective has been to discuss the content and implementation of the Agreement following the end of the
negotiating process in October last year. The EPA aims at, stimulating for both parties investment
opportunities, developing economic activities and hence contributing to economic growth and job creation
in the countries forming the East African Community.
"The Economic Partnership Agreement goes much beyond a straightforward trade agreement. It paves the
way for economic development through trade, and creates conditions for a stable dialogue between
partners" said Mr Filiberto Ceriani Sebregondi, EU Ambassador to Tanzania and the EAC, in his opening
remarks.
"The agreement supports and boosts the East African Community's integration efforts", he added.
"Important issues covered by the agreement, such as free movement of goods, cooperation on customs
and taxation, and trade defence instruments, mirror EAC efforts to strengthen its customs union and to set
up an effective internal market."
"For the EPA to be fully successful, we must ensure that all partners, especially those from the private
sector, are fully aware of the agreement and of the opportunities that it offers."

For more information, please contact: Ms Luana REALE: Head of Political, Press and Information Section; Delegation of the
European Union to Tanzania
Email: Luana.REALE@eeas.europa.eu
Direct Line: +255 22 2164503
Website: http://eeas.europa.eu/delegations/tanzania/index_en.htm
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/EuropeanUnionTanzania
Twitter: https://twitter.com/EUinTZ

Context
On 16 October 2014, the negotiators from the East African Community and the EU finalised the talks for the
comprehensive EPA. Once ratified, the agreement will provide legal certainty for businesses and open a
long-term perspective of free and unlimited access to the EU market for products from Burundi, Kenya,
Rwanda, Tanzania and Uganda. The new comprehensive EPA lays the new, stable basis for the EAC-EU
trade relation. The EAC countries will be able to focus on improving their economic performance without
worrying about the potential loss of full duty-free quota-free access to the European market when they
develop enough not to be considered any more Least Developed Countries. Under EPA, all EAC members,
be they least developed or more advanced, will benefit from the same predictable and uniform trade
scheme.
To comply with the rules of the World Trade Organisation, the EAC countries committed to progressively
reduce their customs duties, so that in 15 years 80% of their imports enter the market duty-free. The EAC
region is however already quite open to imports, which means that it can live up to its commitment
without any adverse impact on its economy. The agreement provides also for all the necessary flexibility, so
that trade can work for and not against development.
Beyond the elimination of customs duties, the agreement also covers free movement of goods between
EAC members, cooperation on customs and taxation, and trade defence instruments. Moreover, the EU
commits itself to providing technical and financial assistance to improve EAC's trade capacity, for example
as regards quality standards and commercial infrastructure.
The agreement will soon be presented for approval according to the domestic procedures of each partner.

Background:
The East African Community (EAC) consists of Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania and Uganda. All EAC
members, with the exception of Kenya, are least developed countries according to the UN classification.
However, the current development prospects indicate that they may be successful in leaving this group in a
relatively near future.
The EAC being geographically and economically homogeneous is strongly committed to regional
integration, with the ultimate goal of becoming a federation. It established a common external tariff in
2005, removed customs duties in intra-regional trade, ratified a common market protocol as of 2010 and
most recently took steps towards achieving a far-reaching monetary union.

For more information, please contact: Ms Luana REALE: Head of Political, Press and Information Section; Delegation of the
European Union to Tanzania
Email: Luana.REALE@eeas.europa.eu
Direct Line: +255 22 2164503
Website: http://eeas.europa.eu/delegations/tanzania/index_en.htm
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/EuropeanUnionTanzania
Twitter: https://twitter.com/EUinTZ

In 2013, total trade between the EU and the East African Community amounted to 5.8 billion. EU imports
from the EAC are worth 2.2 billion and consist mostly of coffee, cut flowers, tea, tobacco, fish and
vegetables. Exports from the EU into the EAC, mainly machinery and mechanical appliances, equipment and
parts, vehicles and pharmaceutical products, amount to 3.5 billion.

More information:
DG Trade, European Commission:
http://ec.europa.eu/trade/policy/countries-and-regions/regions/eac/
EU Delegation in Tanzania:
http://www.eeas.europa.eu/delegations/tanzania/index_en.htm

For more information, please contact: Ms Luana REALE: Head of Political, Press and Information Section; Delegation of the
European Union to Tanzania
Email: Luana.REALE@eeas.europa.eu
Direct Line: +255 22 2164503
Website: http://eeas.europa.eu/delegations/tanzania/index_en.htm
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/EuropeanUnionTanzania
Twitter: https://twitter.com/EUinTZ