Arusha, Tanzania: March 19, 2017 - The East African
Business Council, the apex body of the private sector through its Standards
Platform validated the study on “Impact Assessment of the East African
Harmonized Standards on the business community” 17th March
2017 at Imperial Royale Hotel, in Kampala Uganda.
The
validation workshop attracted several stakeholders both private and public from
the EAC region who were informed about the ongoing EAC
harmonization process of standards and the rationale of the study that was
being validated.
The
workshop was opened by the EABC Chief Executive Officer, Lilian Awinja who
called upon stakeholders to take keen interest in the harmonization of
standards within the region and urged the EAC Secretariat and Partner States
Bureaus of Standards to fast truck the process of standards harmonization.
“The
Private sector needs to show the cost benefit of harmonization” said Mr.
Mosses Ogwal from EABC National Focal Point Uganda (Private
Sector Foundation Uganda)
According
to the report intra EAC export of products with East African
standards increased by 17% which is evidence that compliance with
standards and market requirements are fundamental for successful
market access and for improving the competitiveness of exporters” stated.
Lilian Awinja, EABC CEO.
The
Deputy Executive Director, Uganda National Bureau of Standards noted that there
is faster adoption rate of East African standards due to improved participation
of private sector in standards harmonization process. She further urged that
private sector should to take note of the gaps highlighted by the study and
build synergy to resolve them.
“More
trade means more employment opportunities for EAC citizens” said Dennis Kabbale
EAC Trade Advisor.
The
study focused on six products out of the 20 most traded products identified by
the EABC study of 2013 in terms of cost, time and trade values. The results
indicate that the use of harmonized standards in the region to produce the
selected sampled products improved competitiveness and market access that
contributed to increment in the intra-EAC trade values of the sampled products
from US$291.2 million in 2010 to US$ 340.4 million in 2014 which is an
increment of 17% while extra EAC exports increased by 12%. Furthermore
“Standards related cost due to the delays at the borders have also reduced to
almost zero compared to an average of US$ 500 per consignment before standards
were harmonized,” the report states.
The
private sector noted that there is lack of full recognition of quality marks
from other National Bureau of Standards is a challenge to full implementation
of harmonized standards. The study also highlights other challenges facing the
standards harmonization process as: inadequate resources and scientific data;
high cost of compliance; long processes developing harmonization and review of
EA standards which result into use of national standards.
During
the closing of the workshop stakeholders commended the EABC for the
spearheading the private sector on issues of standards development and
harmonization the in the EAC and thus urged EABC to continue advocating for
faster harmonization of standards in the EAC.
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