Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) launches E-Certificate of Origin to Boost Intra-Regional Trade and Promote Regional Integration in West Africa

The ECOWAS Commission has launched a digital Certificate of Origin as part of the Community’s deliberate and sustained efforts to boost intra-regional trade and promote regional integration in West Africa. The launch of the historic ECOWAS E-Certificate of Origin in Lagos, Nigeria on Monday, is the first by any regional bloc in Africa. The launch was attended by in-person and online representatives of the African Continental Free Trade Area Secretariat; the African Development Bank, The Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ); World Customs Organization; ECOWAS Member States, the organized private sector, and ECOWAS staff members, among others.

A certificate of origin refers to a specific form, whether on paper or electronic, in which the body is empowered to issue it expressly certifies that the goods to which the certificate relates are considered to originate according to the applicable rules of origin. The certificate of origin is the main proof of the origin of goods in international trade.

With the proliferation of free trade agreements and the attendant provision of tariff preferences to eligible goods, the determination and certification of origin of goods in international trade is very critical. In West Africa, the manual process relating to the application request for certificate of origin, its delivery as a paper document, approval by Customs prior to export and presentation to Customs of the country of importation as proof of origin and therefore eligible for tariff preference have become cumbersome and very often, subject to fraud.

Customs administrations spend a longer time verifying the authenticity of certificates of origin. This has eroded confidence in the proof of origin with falsified paper certificate of origin being used to secure tariff preferences, thereby denying parties the benefits of trade liberalization. The entire certificate of origin regime has therefore become an impediment to the free movement of goods and trade facilitation within the ECOWAS Subregion. The ECOWAS E-Certificate of Origin aims to address these challenges and ultimately enhance intra-regional trade among ECOWAS Member States and promote regional integration.

In her keynote speech at the launch of the ECOWAS E-Certificate of Origin, the ECOWAS Commissioner for Economic Affairs and Agriculture Mrs. Massandje TOURE-LITSE, represented by the Director of Customs Union and Taxation, Mr. Salifou Tiemtore, expressed the appreciation of the President of the ECOWAS Commission, H.E. Dr. Omar Alieu TOURAY; the ECOWAS Member States and partners, including the African Development Bank, The Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ), and World Customs Organization, for supporting the ECOWAS e-Certificate of origin initiative which is expected to have a significant and positive impact on the cross-border movement of goods in the ECOWAS region.

According to ECOWAS Commissioner for Economic Affairs And Agriculture, Mrs. Massandje TOURE-LITSE “This end-to-end and origin-to-destination digitalization covers the application and delivery of certificates of origin, digital signature of the certificates, electronic submission to Customs for approval prior to export and subsequent digital signature by Customs, transmission to Customs of Customs of importing country through a secure and dedicated system aims to enhance intra-community trade and boost the economic competitiveness of Member States. The end-to-end digitalization which transcends the national to the regional level with its digital signatures eliminates human intervention drastically reduces fraud, engender transparency and confidence in the certificate of origin regime, and eventually facilitate cross-border movement of community goods.”

The Lead Origin Expert, Rules of Origin for Africa Programme at the World Customs Organization (WCO), Ms. Mette Werdelin AZZAM, commended the ECOWAS Commission for the milestone achievement of becoming the first regional bloc in Africa to launch the digital certificate of origin She noted that the ECOWAS E-Certificate of Origin would enhance regional value chains and boost intra-regional trade and sustainable development in West Africa.

The Trade Policy Officer at the African Development Bank Group, Mr. Abou Fall, commended the ECOWAS Commission for the development and launch of the E-Certificate of Origin and also for implementing various initiatives aimed at promoting intra-regional trade and regional integration.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).