Africa

In recent years, Africa has aimed to increase its international trade through economic reforms and regional integration efforts. The region's key exports consist of raw materials such as oil, gas, minerals, food and other agricultural products, while imports are primarily composed of manufactured goods, machinery, and transportation equipment. African nations regularly trade with partners outside of the continent including the European Union and China. The African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) agreement is the largest existing free trade area in terms of number of participants. Bringing together the 55 countries of the African Union (AU) and eight (8) Regional Economic Communities, the AfCFTA aims to create a single market, facilitating trade and foreign direct investment across the continent. Particularly, the AfCFTA aims to boost services trade in Africa, as African services accounted for less than 1.5% of global exports and 2.5% of global imports in 2021. Several African countries and territories are also part of regional economic communities, such as the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA), the Pan-Arab Free Trade Area (PAFTA), the Southern African Development Community (SADC) and the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), working to enhance trade and integration. These efforts promote the development of regional value chains and the movement of goods, services, and people across borders.

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    AfCFTA Rules of Origin

    The World Customs Organization, with the support of the European Union under the EU-WCO Rules of Origin Africa Programme, presents this document as a guide to the private sector to assist with the practical implementation of the AfCFTA Annex 2 on Rules of Origin of the Protocol on Trade and its relevant appendices.

    Source: EU-WCO

    Businesses: Goods, Regulation & Standards, Tariffs & Taxes, Africa,
    The World Customs Organization, with the support of the European Union under the EU-WCO Rules of Origin Africa Programme, presents this document as a guide to the private sector to assist with the practical implementation of the AfCFTA Annex 2 on Rules of Origin of the Protocol on Trade and its relevant appendices.
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    Africa IP SME Helpdesk

    The helpdesk supports small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) from the European Union (EU) to both protect and enforce their Intellectual Property (IP) rights in/or relating to Africa by providing free information and services.

    Source: European Commission

    Businesses: Goods, Services, Intellectual Property, Africa, Europe,
    The helpdesk supports small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) from the European Union (EU) to both protect and enforce their Intellectual Property (IP) rights in/or relating to Africa by providing free information and services.
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    African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) agreement

    The African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) agreement creates a single market for goods, services, facilitated by movement of persons in order to deepen the economic integration of the Africa.

    Source: AFCFTA

    Businesses: Policymakers: Goods, Regional Trade Agreements, Africa,
    The African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) agreement creates a single market for goods, services, facilitated by movement of persons in order to deepen the economic integration of the Africa.
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    Africa

    Africa,