Intra-regional trade - UEMOA
To promote its economic integration, UEMOA has set up a community trade facilitation scheme or free trade scheme (in parallel to the CEDEAO scheme) called Community Preferential Tax (CPT). The rules of origin and the approval procedure are identical to those of CEDEAO, with the request for recognition of community origin being transmitted to the Ministry in charge of Industry (General Direction of Industrial Activity).
The WAEMU community system is based on the following main texts (see www.uemoa.int):
- Additional Act N°04/96 of 10 May 1996, instituting a transitional preferential tariff regime for trade (TPC: Taxe Préférentielle Communautaire) within the UEMOA and its mode of operation, modified by Additional Acts N°01/97 of 23 June 1997 [UEMOA AA01.97] and 04/98 of 30 December 1998 [UEMOA AA04.98].
- Additional Protocol N° III/2001 of 19 December 2001, establishing the rules of origin of UEMOA products.
- Implementing Regulation N°14/COM/UEMOA, determining the modalities for requesting and issuing certificates of origin for UEMOA products.
This mechanism ensures the free movement of goods originating in the UEMOA without the payment of customs duties and taxes of equivalent effect on importation into the UEMOA space (this exemption does not apply to Value Added Tax (VAT) and other internal taxes).
The CPT is open to any company that is located and operates in one of the eight (8) UEMOA Member States, and that intends to export its products meeting the origin criteria to the UEMOA area.
Procedure for granting Community Origin
Within the framework of the export procedure, the Ministry in charge of industry is responsible for issuing decisions of approval for the recognition of WAEMU Community Origin for companies wishing to adhere to the WAEMU Trade Liberation Scheme (approval for the WAEMU Preferential Tax).