Implementation of the Protocol will be in a progressive manner, Speaker cautions
The East African Legislative Assembly (EALA) has urged all Partner States action in order to ensure that the region embarks upon the process of implementing the EAC Common Market smoothly.
“It should be clear to all that 1 July 2010 marks the beginning of the process of the Common Market stage of integration,” the Speaker of the Assembly, Rt. Hon. Abdirahin Haithar Abdi said in a statement.
He cautioned, however, that the implementation of the Common Market, which provides for the free movement of labour, goods, services, capital and the right of establishment “will be in a progressive manner”.
Rt. Hon. Abdi observed that “more needs to be done in order to actualise the Common Market Protocol”, and against this background urged Partner States to “inform the citizens of the Community on the process of implementation of EAC Common Market; amend relevant policies and laws to facilitate operationalisation of the Common Market Protocol; and establish requisite structures for implementing the free movement of labour, goods, services, capital and the right of establishment.”
The five EAC Partner States namely; Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania and Uganda committed in November 2009 to a Common Market when the EAC Heads of State signed the Protocol. All Partner States reiterated their commitment to the Protocol by ratifying it earlier this year, paving the way for its progressive implementation starting 1 July.
Additional information
The Common Market cements operations of the EAC Customs Union and will facilitate free movement of labour, goods, services, capital, and the right of establishment in the EAC region.
Establishment of the Common Market shall be progressive and in accordance with schedules approved by the EAC Council of Ministers. The Protocol further empowers the Council to confer powers and authority upon institutions as it may deem necessary to administer the Common Market. In line with this, Partner States have adopted detailed annexure for purposes of implementing the Common Market Protocol.
