Non-Tariff Barriers :: Complaints

Active complaints

Showing items 81 to 91 of 91

Complaint number	NTB Type Category 1. Government participation in trade & restrictive practices tolerated by governments 1.1. Export subsidies 1.2. Government monopoly in export/import 1.3. State subsidies, procurement, trading, state ownership 1.4. Preference given to domestic bidders/suppliers 1.5. Requirement for counter trade 1.6. Domestic assistance programmes for companies 1.7. Discriminatory or flawed government procurement policies 1.8. Import bans 1.9. Determination of eligibility of an exporting country by the importing country 1.10. Determination of eligibility of an exporting establishment (firm, company) by the importing country 1.11. Occupational safety and health regulation 1.12. Multiplicity and Controls of Foreign exchange market 1.13. "Buy national" policy 1.14. Lack of coordination between government institutions 1.15. Other Category 2. Customs and administrative entry procedures 2.1. Government imposing antidumping duties 2.2. Arbitrary customs classification 2.3. Issues related to the rules of origin 2.4. Import licensing 2.5. Decreed customs surcharges 2.6. Additional taxes and other charges 2.7. International taxes and charges levied on imports and other tariff measures 2.8. Lengthy and costly customs clearance procedures 2.9. Issues related to transit fees 2.10. Inadequate or unreasonable customs procedures and charges 2.11. Lack of control in Customs infrastructure 2.12. Lack of capacity of Customs officers 2.13. Issues related to Pre-Shipment Inspections 2.14. Other Category 3. Technical barriers to trade (TBT) Category 4. Sanitary & phyto-sanitary (SPS) measures Category 5. Specific limitations 5.1. Quantitative restrictions 5.2. Exchange controls 5.3. Export taxes 5.4. Quotas 5.5. Import licensing requirements 5.6. Proportion restrictions of foreign to domestic goods (local content requirement) 5.7. Minimum import price limits 5.8. Embargoes 5.9. Non-automatic licensing 5.10. Prohibitions 5.11. Quantitative safeguard measures 5.12. Export restraint arrangements 5.13. Other quantity control measures 5.14. Restrictive licenses 5.15. Other Category 6. Charges on imports 6.1. Prior import deposits and subsidies 6.2. Administrative fees 6.3. Special supplementary duties 6.4. Import credit discriminations 6.5. Variable levies 6.6. Border taxes 6.7. Other Category 7. Other procedural problems 7.1. Arbitrariness 7.2. Discrimination 7.3. Corruption 7.4. Costly procedures 7.5. Lengthy procedures 7.6. Lack of information on procedures (or changes thereof) 7.7. Complex variety of documentation required 7.8. Consular and Immigration Issues 7.9. Inadequate trade related infrastructure 7.10. Other Category 8. Transport, Clearing and Forwarding 8.1. Government Policy and regulations 8.2. Administrative (Border Operating Hours, delays at border posts, etc.) 8.3. Immigration requirements (Visa, travel permit) 8.4. Transport related corruption 8.5. Infrastructure (Air, Port, Rail, Road, Border Posts,) 8.6. Vehicle standards 8.7. Costly Road user charges /fees 8.8. Issues related to transit Other Policy or Regulatory NTB Not a policy or regulatory NTB Check allUncheck all	Date of incident	Location COMESA Burundi Comoros Democratic Republic of the Congo Djibouti Egypt Eritrea Eswatini Ethiopia Kenya Libya Madagascar Malawi Mauritius Rwanda Seychelles Somalia Sudan Tunisia Uganda Zambia Zimbabwe EAC Burundi Democratic Republic of the Congo Kenya Rwanda Somalia South Sudan Tanzania Uganda SADC Angola Botswana Comoros Democratic Republic of the Congo Eswatini Lesotho Madagascar Malawi Mauritius Mozambique Namibia Seychelles South Africa Tanzania Zambia Zimbabwe COMESA EAC SADC	Reporting country or region (additional) COMESA Burundi Comoros Democratic Republic of the Congo Djibouti Egypt Eritrea Eswatini Ethiopia Kenya Libya Madagascar Malawi Mauritius Rwanda Seychelles Somalia Sudan Tunisia Uganda Zambia Zimbabwe EAC Burundi Democratic Republic of the Congo Kenya Rwanda Somalia South Sudan Tanzania Uganda SADC Angola Botswana Comoros Democratic Republic of the Congo Eswatini Lesotho Madagascar Malawi Mauritius Mozambique Namibia Seychelles South Africa Tanzania Zambia Zimbabwe COMESA EAC SADC	Status New Complaint registered with REC In process Resolved Non-actionable	Actions
NTB-001-380	8.7. Costly Road user charges /fees	2026-07-31	Zambia: Ministry Of Commerce	Botswana	New	View
Complaint:	BW transporters expected to pay combines border/road/toll fees in excess of $900 whilst other vehicles from neighbouring regions pay approximately $300. We are an exporter of Steel from Selebi Phikwe to Zambia at a rate of 1000+ tons that is 30+ trucks with planned demand increasing to 4000+ tons, this emplies cost differences up to $18,000 currently. This greatly inhibits Botswana transporters from uplifting our product significantly affecting our sales to Zambia.
NTB-001-381	1.8. Import bans Policy/Regulatory	2026-08-05	Rwanda: Rwanda Food and Drugs Authority (RFDA)	Tanzania	New	View
Complaint:	On 5 August 2026, the Rwanda Food and Drugs Authority (RFDA) suspended imports and ordered the recall of certain spirit products from several East African Community (EAC) Partner States, including Tanzania. This action appears inconsistent with the EAC Standardization, Quality Assurance, Metrology and Testing (SQMT) Act, 2006, which allows products certified to harmonized EAC standards and bearing the EAC Quality Mark to circulate freely within the Community. The affected products have been certified by the Tanzania Bureau of Standards (TBS) and comply with the applicable EAC standards. If RFDA had concerns regarding their quality or safety, it should have followed the SQMT notification procedures before taking unilateral action. Tanzania therefore requests Rwanda to remove this non-tariff barrier and allow trade in the affected products to resume.
NTB-001-382	2.9. Issues related to transit fees	2026-08-24	South Africa: Maseru Bridge	Lesotho	In process	View
Complaint:	Members of CBW-Africa Lesotho Chapter, a group of Women are travelling to Botswana to participate in an Expo each one carrying different products - ranging from cosmetics to herbs and spices, for exhibiting at the expo, and give out as samples as necessary. We have faced a challenge whereby the clearing agent informed the group that we will need to pay R5000 as what she referred to as 'security bond', in addition to the 15% VAT we would have to pay at the Botswana border. As micro enterprises, we don't have these kind of funds, as we are already bootstrapping. This requirement for a M5000 security bond at the SA border therefore represents a barrier to us for accessing the potential intra-Africa trade benefits we are anticipating from our attendance of the Otshwereng Expo. We stand to lose immediate revenue from the Expo and future revenue-earning potential and trade linkages because we are not going to be able to raise this R5000 required by South Africa from us to transit to Botswana through their country. We are therefore requesting for a speedy resolution of our plight.
Progress:	On 25th August 2026, Botswana Focal Point advised that the reported VAT and R5,000 security bond are South African customs requirements and are therefore not charges imposed by Botswana. For goods being brought into Botswana for exhibition purposes, there is a provision for a temporary admission of qualifying goods, including commercial samples owned abroad and imported for the purposes of being shown or demonstrated at an exhibition in Botswana. To benefit from the applicable exemption/temporary admission facility, the exhibitors should write to the Director, Department of Trade Development in advance, providing details of the products and clearly stating that the products are being brought into Botswana solely for exhibition, display or demonstration purposes. The exhibitors should ensure that the goods are not intended for commercial sale and comply with the applicable temporary admission requirements. Please note that Botswana’s standard VAT rate is 14%.
Products:	0910.9: - Other spices :, 1901.90.90: -- Other, 3304.9: - Other :, 0902.10: Green tea in immediate packings of <= 3 kg and 2007.99: Jams, jellies, marmalades, purées or pastes of fruit, obtained by cooking, whether or not containing added sugar or other sweetening matter (excl. citrus fruit and homogenised preparations of subheading 2007.10)
NTB-001-383	2.6. Additional taxes and other charges	2026-08-07	Burundi: Burundi Customs	Uganda	New	View
Complaint:	The Republic of Burundi, through the Surtaxe sur le Fer à Béton (SFB), is imposing a 10% surtax on imports from Uganda, particularly steel reinforcement bars with diameters ranging from 8mm to 32mm. The measure appears to be inconsistent with the provisions of the EAC Customs Union Protocol, particularly the following: • EAC Customs Union: Under Article 2(4)(a) and (b) of the Protocol on the Establishment of the EAC Customs Union, Customs duties and other charges of equivalent effect imposed on imports within the Customs Union are to be eliminated, while Non-Tariff Barriers (NTBs) to trade among Partner States are to be removed. • National Treatment and Non-Discrimination against EAC Goods: The measure is also inconsistent with Article 15 of the EAC Customs Union Protocol on National Treatment, which prohibits Partner States from applying legislation or administrative measures that directly or indirectly discriminate against like products originating from another Partner State. It further prohibits the application of internal taxation measures that impose a higher tax burden on products from another Partner State than that imposed on similar domestic products. Conclusion: The imposition of the 10% surtax may constitute a Non-Tariff Barrier to intra-EAC trade and appears to undermine the principles of the EAC Customs Union, particularly the principles of free movement of goods, national treatment and non-discrimination among Partner States.
NTB-001-384	1.8. Import bans	2026-08-05	Rwanda: Rwanda Food and Drug Authority	Uganda	New	View
Complaint:	SUSPENSION OF IMPORTATION OF SELECTED ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES BY RWANDA On 5 August 2026, the Government of Rwanda, through the Rwanda Food and Drugs Authority (FDA), announced a temporary suspension of the importation of selected alcoholic beverages. The suspension has disrupted the normal flow of trade and trade-related activities between Rwanda and its trading partners, thereby creating a potential Non-Tariff Barrier (NTB) to trade. The measure is also inconsistent with the principles and objectives of the East African Community (EAC) Customs Union and Common Market, particularly the commitment of Partner States to facilitate and promote the free movement of goods and enhance intra-EAC trade. The Government of Rwanda is therefore requested to provide clarification on the basis and duration of the suspension and to consider appropriate measures to ensure that any regulatory interventions are implemented in a manner consistent with EAC obligations and do not unnecessarily impede legitimate trade among Partner States.
NTB-001-386	2.3. Issues related to the rules of origin	2026-07-22	Tanzania: Weights and Measures Agency	Uganda	New	View
Complaint:	The United Republic of Tanzania, through the Weights and Measures Agency, is undertaking the impounding and re-verification of Ugandan-manufactured roofing sheets, particularly ordinary corrugated AZED G32 (0.20mm) × 3m roofing sheets. This matter requires urgent intervention, as it has the potential to establish a precedent whereby products manufactured in Uganda are subjected to additional verification, inspection, detention and associated charges upon entry into another EAC Partner State, notwithstanding their conformity with applicable standards and certification by the Uganda National Bureau of Standards (UNBS). The measure may constitute a Non-Tariff Barrier (NTB) and is inconsistent with the EAC framework aimed at facilitating and promoting free and fair trade among Partner States. Conclusion: The continued impounding and re-verification of Ugandan roofing sheets may hinder intra-EAC trade by imposing additional regulatory requirements and costs on Ugandan products. The matter therefore warrants urgent engagement with the Tanzanian authorities to establish the basis for the additional verification and seek an amicable resolution in accordance with the EAC trade framework.
NTB-001-387	6.3. Special supplementary duties	2026-07-01	Kenya: Kenya Revenue Authority	Tanzania	New	View
Complaint:	Kenya has recently imposed excise duty on float glass originating from Tanzania under HS Code 7005, following the removal of the excise duty exemption previously applicable to float glass originating from EAC Partner States. According to Kenya Gazette Supplement No. 157 (Acts No. 19) dated 26 June 2026, float glass imported into Kenya under HS Code 7005 is now subject to excise duty at the rate of 35% of the excisable value or KES 500 per square metre, whichever is higher, including float glass originating from Tanzania and other EAC Partner States. This policy change has already had a direct and measurable impact on Tanzanian exports. Customs Entry Documents for recent shipments of Tanzanian-origin float glass to Kenya show that excise duty has been assessed and charged. For example, one shipment of 1,186.42 square metres was charged KES 593,208 in excise duty at KES 500 per square metre, while another shipment of 2,450.25 square metres was charged KES 1,225,125 in excise duty. The measure significantly increases the cost of Tanzanian float glass entering the Kenyan market and creates an additional tax burden on goods traded within the East African Community. Kenya is currently the largest export market for Tanzanian float glass, and continued access to this market is essential for sustaining production, employment, export earnings and industrial investment in Tanzania. Kenya currently does not have domestic float glass production, while Kenyan glass processors and secondary manufacturers rely on imported float glass as a key raw material. The imposition of excise duty therefore not only restricts market access for Tanzanian manufacturers, but also increases production costs for Kenyan downstream industries. We therefore request the EAC Secretariat and relevant EAC organs to review this measure and facilitate its resolution, including the reinstatement of the excise duty exemption for float glass originating from EAC Partner States.
Products:	7005.10.90: -- Other, 7005.21.13: --- Of a thickness not exceeding 2 mm (excluding optical glass), 7005.21.15: --- Of a thickness exceeding 2 mm but not exceeding 2,5 mm (excluding optical glass), 7005.21.17: --- Of a thickness exceeding 2,5 mm but not exceeding 3 mm (excluding optical glass), 7005.29.13: --- Of a thickness not exceeding 2 mm (excluding solar glass and optical glass), 7005.29.15: --- Of a thickness exceeding 2 mm but not exceeding 2,5 mm (excluding solar glass and optical glass), 7005.29.17: --- Of a thickness exceeding 2,5 mm but not exceeding 3 mm (excluding solar glass and optical glass) and 7005.30: Float glass and surface ground and polished glass, in sheets, whether or not having an absorbent, reflecting or non-reflecting layer, wired, but not otherwise worked
NTB-001-388	2.6. Additional taxes and other charges	2026-07-01	Kenya: Kenya Sugar Board	Uganda	New	View
Complaint:	Kenya – Excise Duty on Ugandan Sugar Kenya, through the Kenya Sugar Board, increased the excise duty applicable to sugar imported from Uganda from KES 7.50 per kilogram (KES 7,500 per tonne) to KES 40 per kilogram (KES 40,000 per tonne), as provided under Part IV – Excise Duty, Section 36(a)(vi) of the Kenya Gazette Supplement. The substantial increase in the excise duty has significantly raised the cost of Ugandan sugar in the Kenyan market, thereby reducing its competitiveness and negatively affecting market access for Ugandan sugar exporters. The measure also has the potential to disrupt the long-standing trade relationship between Uganda and Kenya, which has been facilitated under the EAC integration framework. The increased duty may constitute a Non-Tariff Barrier (NTB) and raises concerns regarding compliance with the EAC principles of free movement of goods, fair competition and non-discrimination among Partner States.
NTB-001-389	2.6. Additional taxes and other charges	2026-09-04	South Sudan: State Revenue Authority	Uganda	New	View
Complaint:	South Sudan – Reintroduction of Stamp Duty and Fire Safety Fees The Government of the Republic of South Sudan, through the State Revenue Authority, has resumed the collection of stamp duty and fire safety fees from traders. The reintroduction of these charges has increased the cost of conducting cross-border trade and may adversely affect traders engaged in commercial activities between Uganda and South Sudan. The measure raises concerns regarding its consistency with the EAC integration framework, particularly the commitment to facilitate trade and promote free movement of goods among Partner States. The imposition of additional charges on traders has the potential to restrict market access, increase the cost of doing business and impede the development of intra-EAC trade.
Progress:	Upon submission of the complaint, Uganda requested that the matter be raised through the appropriate EAC NTB and bilateral mechanisms to seek clarification on the basis of the charges and assess their conformity with applicable EAC commitments, with a view to securing their removal or harmonisation where appropriate.
NTB-001-390	3. Technical barriers to trade (TBT) B81: Product registration/approval requirements	2026-06-29	Rwanda: Rwanda FDA	Kenya	New	View
Complaint:	RFDA Mandatory Product Registration Requirements on 44 medicated cosmetics, 6 household chemical and 13 liquid detergent. The Rwanda Food and Drugs Authority (RFDA) has made it mandatory for all such products to undergo product registration and obtain approval before they can be marketed, distributed, or advertised in Rwanda. The registration process is lengthy, taking between 6 and 12 months, and requires submission of product samples, test reports, labels, and other technical documentation. In addition, Kenyan products that have already undergone conformity assessment, testing, and certification by competent authorities in Kenya are subjected to duplicate testing, inspections, and additional charges in Rwanda. This increases the cost of doing business, delays market entry, and undermines the competitiveness of Kenyan manufacturers. This requirement is inconsistent with the spirit of the EAC Standardization, Quality Assurance, Metrology and Testing (SQMT) which promotes mutual recognition of conformity assessment results and the EAC Regulatory Framework to facilitate cross-border trade of pre-packaged food and cosmetic products. The duplicative requirements also constitute a significant Non-Tariff Barrier (NTB) that restricts the free movement of goods within the region and increases the cost of Kenya products which has valid standardization marks (SMarks) thus making the Kenya and regional goods to be uncompetitive.
NTB-001-396	2.7. International taxes and charges levied on imports and other tariff measures	2026-07-21	Tanzania: TRA	Kenya	New	View
Complaint:	Tanzania is subjecting a discriminative excise duty on Margarine - HS 1517.10.00 on the Kenya chocolate transferred to Tanzania, it charges an IMPORT Excise duty of Tsh. 540. This measure is in contravention of the East African Community (EAC) Common Market Protocol, which seeks to promote the free movement of goods among member states. The imposition of this duty not only disrupts intra- regional trade and delays business operations but also undermines the spirit of regional and economical cooperation within the EAC. Additionally, this goes against SCFEA and Summit directive directing Partner States to remove all discriminative charges and treat EAC goods as transfer not import. We urge URT to remove these discriminative charges and treat Kenya products as locally produced not IMPORTED.
Products:	1517.10: Margarine (excl. liquid)

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