African Customs

    Africa is China's fastest-growing export destination and trading partner. In recent years, driven by the China Africa Cooperation Forum and other initiatives, China Africa trade has developed rapidly. As a foreign trade enterprise exploring the African market, it must be aware of the latest trends of African trade policies, the certification required to enter the African market and the customs policies of various countries. This paper briefly combs the trade and customs policies of African countries.

    The new trend of African trade policy is mainly reflected in paying more attention to environmental protection, commodity quality, increasing the import cost of manufactured products, reducing trade barriers within regional organizations and so on.

    1. Pay more attention to environmental protection, especially in countries with relatively good economic development. For example, the plastic ban order of the Moroccan government; Kenya imposes carbon emission tax on imported vehicles whose carbon emission exceeds a certain standard; Ghana passed the e-waste act.

    2. Pay more and more attention to the quality of imported goods and take many guarantee measures. The Ministry of industry and Commerce of Zimbabwe issued the goods certification and evaluation program (CBCA), the Kenya Bureau of standards announced the implementation of new import standardized labels to combat irregular importers and ensure the quality of imported goods, and other countries required exporters / importers to issue product conformity declarations (i.e. COC) for products that meet the standards of importing countries before shipment.

    3. Increase the import cost of finished products, especially in the fields of building materials and non necessities. In order to develop their own industries, many African countries are more and more inclined to increase the import cost of finished products, especially building materials, steel, cement, second-hand leather products, clothing, food, shoes and other products.

    4. Accelerate the process of regional integration and promote trade facilitation within regional organizations. The southern African development community, the economic community of Central African States, the economic community of West African States and even the African economic community are all efforts made by African countries for this goal.

    5. Reduce barriers to trade in services and reduce relevant import and export tariffs. On March 21, 2018, at the African Union (AU) summit in Kigali, Rwanda (the "summit"), leaders of 44 African countries signed a historic agreement: the agreement on the establishment of the African continent free trade area (the "African free trade area"), namely the African continent free trade agreement (the "free trade agreement"), It is a major milestone on the road to the African common market.

    6. Foreign exchange control over bulk commodity exports will increase in the short and medium term, and efforts to combat tax evasion will also increase. In the adverse situation of falling commodity prices, weak commodity prices and serious decline in terms of trade, the liquidity of the US dollar is urgent. Countries are bound to introduce policies to defend their currencies, implement very strict foreign exchange controls, restrict the exchange of the US dollar, and strengthen efforts to combat tax evasion.

    7. E-commerce will occupy an important position. In October 2015, the East African legislative assembly (EALA) passed the "2014 East African community e-commerce bill", which aims to pave the way for the development of inter regional e-trading platforms by creating a safe and efficient e-trading environment. Africa Internet Group, an African subsidiary of German company rocket Internet, has been developing rapidly since its establishment in 2012. Jumia, one of its platforms, is known as "African Amazon" and has become the leader of e-commerce in Africa.