The East African Community (EAC) has approved a raft of changes to import duty rates under the Common External Tariff (CET), granting Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Rwanda and Burundi temporary exemptions and tariff adjustments on selected goods for one year.
The measures, published in the East African Community Gazette under the Protocol on the Establishment of the EAC Customs Union, allowed partner states to either suspend the application of the standard CET rates or impose higher or lower duties on specified imports to support national priorities.
“In exercise of the powers conferred upon the Council of Ministers by Articles 12 (3) and 39 (1) (c) of the Protocol on the Establishment of the East African Community Customs Union, the Council of Ministers has approved the following measures on customs duty rates on the items provided under The Harmonized Community Description and Coding System in Annex 1 to the Protocol,” read part of the gazette notice.
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Under the new measures, Kenya will continue to apply a 0 percent import duty on goods imported exclusively for infrastructure projects undertaken through public-private partnership (PPP) arrangements, subject to approval by the Cabinet Secretary for the National Treasury and the relevant implementing ministry.
Uganda, Burundi and Rwanda have also been allowed to maintain a 0 percent duty rate on goods imported for projects implemented under special operating frameworks with their respective governments.
The Council of Ministers further approved a temporary waiver for smart cards (HS Code 8523.52.00), allowing Tanzania and Rwanda to apply a 0 percent import duty instead of the standard 25 percent EAC CET rate for one year. In Tanzania, the exemption applies to imports by the National Identification Authority.
Meanwhile, Tanzania secured several country-specific tariff adjustments to protect local industries.
The country will raise the import duty on polyester and nylon twine from the CET rate of 10 percent to 25 percent, while paper, paperboard, cellulose wadding and cellulose fibre webs will also attract a 25 percent duty, up from the standard 10 percent.
For vitenge fabrics, Tanzania will reduce the applicable import duty from the CET rate of 50 percent to 35 percent for one year.
The country will also increase duties on cotton grey fabric from 25 percent to 35 percent, or US$0.30 per metre, whichever is higher.
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Table Showing Other Adjustments
Other Measures
The EAC Council of Ministers also approved additional one-year tariff adjustments affecting agricultural products, processed foods, electronics and manufactured goods across partner states.
Kenya will apply an import duty of 35 percent or US$250 per metric tonne (MT), whichever is higher, on sweet corn (Zea mays var. saccharata) for one year.
The country will also impose a duty of 35 percent or US$400 per MT, whichever is higher, on preserved tomatoes, including whole tomatoes, tomato pieces and tomato paste.
For processed peas (Pisum sativum), Kenya and Uganda will apply an import duty of 35 percent or US$250 per MT, whichever is higher, for one year.
Uganda secured approval to classify natural honey as a Sensitive Product, allowing it to increase the import duty from the standard 35 percent to 60 percent for one year.
Kenya was also granted approval to raise the import duty on television sets from 25 percent to 35 percent for one year.
In addition, Uganda designated several food products as Sensitive Products, enabling it to increase import duties from 35 percent to 60 percent for one year. The products include processed coffee, processed tea, ginger, jams, marmalades and jellies, as well as frozen meat products, including chicken, beef, pork and mutton.
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