EAST AFRICA: EAC Adopts 35% as 4th Band of Common External Tariff

East African Community (EAC) decided on 5 May 2022 to adopt 35% as the fourth band top rate of the EAC Common External Tariff (CET), which will take effect on 1 July this year. Goods covered by this rate include textiles and garments, cotton, leather products, iron and steel, furniture, meat and dairy products, paints, ceramic products and head gear. Also falling under the fourth band are cereals, meat and dairy products, beverages and spirits, fruits and nuts, edible oils, sugar and confectionery, spices, tea, coffee and fresh-cut flowers. 

The EAC CET currently has a three-band structure of 0% (raw materials and capital goods), 10% (intermediate goods) and 25% (finished goods). A separate sensitive products list may attract duty rates of above 25%. In February 2022, the EAC agreed to adopt the proposed EAC Tariff Offer for Category A products for trade under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) agreement.