Why Report Non-Tariff Barriers (NTBs)?

The African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA)’s Non-Tariff Barriers online reporting, monitoring and eliminating mechanism is a facility developed to enhance trade through removal of non-tariff barriers to trade (NTBs).

The elimination of NTBs is critical to boosting intra-Africa trade and achieving the objectives of the AfCFTA. It will reduce the costs of trading across borders and ease cross-border movement of goods. The bulk of the AfCFTA benefits will be realised if State Parties efficiently manage and eliminate NTBs.

Annex 5 of the Protocol on Trade in Goods establishes a reporting, monitoring, and elimination mechanism where traders can file a complaint on a specific trade obstacle they have encountered during the process of moving goods and services across borders.

The mechanism is available online at www.tradebarriers.africa