ECOWAS to start common external tariff 2017

The new ECOWAS Chairman, Senegal
President, Macky Sall.
The Economic Community of West African
States (ECOWAS) has decided to reach
effective application of the common external
tariff from Jan. 1, 2017 by the whole of its 15
member states.
A release stated that the decision was
reached on Monday night in Cotonou.
It noted that the decision had become
imperative as only nine member states apply
the common external tariff that came into
force in January 2015.
The ECOWAS common external tariff
launched during a meeting of head of states
and governments in December 2014 in Abuja,
Nigeria, was adopted in January 2006.
“The completion of the common external
tariff will be a milestone in the establishment
of a customs union as part of ECOWAS’s
integration programme.
The release said that it underscored that the
success of the West-African integration
depends on the creation of a common
market through the liberalisation of trade
and the adoption of a common external
tariff.
It said that to reach the goal, ECOWAS
assigned team of consultants in the 15
member-states to assess the situation and
identify the inherent difficulties.
“A synthetic report of evaluation missions
will be submitted to members of joint
management committee of the common
external tariff, which is expected to hold
meeting next Monday or Tuesday in Dakar,
Senegal,’’ it said.
The release said that the meeting of Dakar
would be the opportunity for the ECOWAS
commission to work, especially with the six
member states that fail to apply the common
external tariff.
It noted that the Dakar meeting would help
overcome existing barriers to ensure
effective implementation of the common
external tariff in all ECOWAS member-States
from January 1st, 2017.