African Continental Free Trade Area (AFCFTA)

The African Continental Free Trade Area (AFCFTA) entered into force in July 2020. It provides for the removal of border tariffs on 97% of goods traded, over a period of 5 to 15 years, notably for:

•  Ferrous waste and scrap .
•  Aluminium ores and concentrates.
• Aluminium and Aluminium Alloys.
• Ferro-Nickel and Nickel Alloys.
• Ammonia, anhydrous or in aqueous solution.  
• Refrigerators, freezers and other refrigerating or freezing equipment, electric or other; heat pumps other than air conditioning machines of heading. 
• Carbon electrodes, carbon brushes, lamp carbons, battery carbons and other articles of graphite or other carbon, with or without metal, of a kind used for electrical purposes.
• Cathodes and sections of cathodes. 
• Products containing by weight more than 50% of alumina (Al2O3) or of a mixture or compound of alumina and of silica (SiO2). 

Additionally, it aims at eliminating non-tariff barriers and at establishing a harmonized system of commodity coding and description that follows the international convention.

Rules of origin determining whether a product qualifies for preferential tariff treatment if it has been wholly obtained or has undergone substantial transformation in one of the Parties to the Agreement.

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