Non-Tariff Barriers

Complaint

Complaint number

NTB-000-608  

NTB Type

8.7. Costly Road user charges /fees  

Complaint

This complaint is registered by FESARTA.
Zambia is to introduce toll fees for all road users, on 1st November 2013.
The structure of the fees is detailed in the attachments.
The introduction is considered an unfair practice, since the tolls apply to foreign vehicles, and these vehicles pay road user charges on entry into the country.
The road user charges that the foreign vehicles pay (between USD10 per 100 kms and USD16 per 100 kms), are set to cover the road usage cost by the vehicles as they travel the country's roads.
The level of road user charges was recommended by COMESA, of which Zambia is a member.
Updated road user charges are being developed by the COMESA/EAC/SADC Tripartite and, when finalized, will be disseminated to member countries for their implementation.
Thus there is no justification for Zambia to introduce toll fees for foreign vehicles, as it is a duplication of the road user charges paid by them on entry into the country.
The added fees mean that foreign vehicles will be paying more than their fair share for road usage, and merely add to the cost of goods consumed in landlocked countries.  

Status note

On 31st March 2016, Zambia Focal Point reported that Toll fees are charged once at the port of entry for road usage from one point to the other and back. Transporters are only charged extra if they divert from their original route. The toll fees are discriminatory.  

Progress update note

1. On 14 November 2013, Zambia Focal Point reported that Zambia was implementing an existing regulation which is self explanatory. The Tolls act, SI No. 73 of 2013 is posted onto the system under ' Notifications' for perusal by the public. This is therefore a policy and regulatory NTB that requires negotiation between the two countries. FESARTA is encouraged to request for the NTB to be considered by the two countries.

2. On 19 November 2014, the Focal Points for Zambia and South Africa were requested to provide guidance and way forward on this issue.  

Policy or regulatory NTB

Yes 

Location

Zambia: Ministry of Transport, Works, Supply and Communications (Government institution)  

Reporting Country or Region

COMESA  

Country specific trade issue

No  

Date of incident

2013-10-04  

Status

Resolved  

Date of resolution

2016-03-31  

Product Description

All products

Computer-assisted translation

• English
• Arabic
• French
• Portuguese

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Total value

0  

Date reported

2013-10-23 16:08  

Modified

2016-04-06 10:10