Pursuant to the summit directive to commence the implementation of a Single Customs Territory, the Committee of Customs comprising of Commissioners General and Commissioners of Customs met in Arusha to strategise on the implementation of the same.
Commissioner General of Kenya Revenue Authority, Mr John Njiraini
The Commissioner General of Kenya
Revenue Authority, Mr John Njiraini, who chaired the meeting, reiterated
the commitment of the authorities to the integration process and
particularly the implementation of the Single Customs Territory.
He noted the initiatives under the trilateral arrangement by Kenya, Uganda and Rwanda will be harmonised within the wider EAC Single Customs Territory.
On behalf of the Secretary General of
the EAC, the Director of Customs, Mr Kenneth Bagamuhunda noted that the
Single Customs Territory (SCT) is one of the key regional integration
priority policy interventions adopted by both the council and the summit
to consolidate the EAC Customs Union.
He said that it was imperative that
revenue authorities take full responsibility to ensure the SCT is fully
implemented as per the approved roadmap by the council.
The committee established five technical
working teams that will put in place operational requirements and
procedures for the SCT.
The meeting also agreed on the schedule
of activities for the implementation of the SCT. A pilot based approach
segmented on the central and northern corridors was adopted which will
progressively cover all goods cleared at the first ports of entry.
The meeting agreed to integrate the
ongoing activities on SCT on the northern corridor into the EAC wide SCT
framework. A proactive, practical and result based method of work was
agreed on as a way of work on the SCT.
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