WT/REG 274/M/1  
 
14 December  2020 
(20-9035) Page: 1/4 
Committee on Regional Trade Agreements  
Ninety -eighth  Session    
 
 
ECONOMIC PARTNERSHIP AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE EUROPEAN UNION  AND 
CAMEROON (GOODS ) 
NOTE ON THE MEETING OF  18 NOVEMBER  2020 
Chairm an: Ambassador H.E. Mr. Mārtiņš KREITUS (Latvia ) 
1.1.  The 9 8th Session of the Committee on Regional Trade Agreements (hereinafter  "CRTA " or the 
"Committee ") was convened in Airgram WTO/AIR/RTA/ 23/Rev.1  dated 6 November 2020. 
1.2.  Under Agenda Item C.II of the Session, the CRTA considered the  Economic Partnership 
Agreement  between the European Union and Cameroon , (goods), (hereinafter "the Agreement").  
1.3.   The Chairman  indicated  that the Agreement had been  first notified to the WTO by the Parties 
on 3  April 2017. In a subsequent notification dated 9 February 2018 and distributed as 
WT/REG381/N/1/Add.1, the Parties informed of its application between Mozambique and the EU. 
The Agreement had been  notified und er Article  XXIV:7(a) of the GATT  1994 as an agreement 
establishing a free trade area for trade in goods, within the meaning of Article XXIV (8) (b) of the 
GATT 1994. The text of the Agreement was available, together with its Annexes, on the Parties' 
official websites.  The Factual Presentation - document  WT/REG381/1 dated 15 June 2020 - and 
questions and replies on this Agreement - document WT/REG381/2 dated 7 October 2020 - had 
been distributed.  
1.4.  The delegation of Cameroon  thanked the Members and the Committ ee for considering the 
Agreement and wished to note its main features.  The Agreement followed an interim agreement on 
17 December 2007 covering g oods, services and development cooperation , signed on 15 January 
2009 and approved by the EU Parliament on 13 June 2013 . The Agreement had been  ratified by 
Cameroon on 22 July 2014. Provisions in the Agreement on goods cover ed market access and duty 
and quota free access for all imports by the EU from Cameroon (except arms) . In return the EU 
market opening took ful l account of the level of development of Cameroon.  
1.5.  The Agreement contained bilateral safeguards in the event of threatened or actual market 
disruption of the economy due to imports from the other Party. The Agreement also contained 
provisions on TBT and SP S with the EU agreeing to assist Cameroon to compl y with EU requirements. 
Provisions on trade facilitation  and government cooperation would facilitate trade and interactions 
between government entities and private sector participants. Since 1 June 2008 all  imports from 
Cameroon ha d been entering the EU without any taxes, charges or quotas . In return during 15 years 
Cameroon would  liberalise its regime for imports from the EU. Tariff dismantling on products in 3 
categories was effective for the Cameroonian P arty since 4 August 2016. Full liberalization would be 
achieved by 20 29. Negotiations for a Comprehensive Economic Partnership  Agreement for all 
countries in the central African region had been  launc hed in Congo Brazzaville in 2003. The 
Agreement between EU and Cameroon constitute d a step towards a full regional agreement . 
1.6.  Imports of EU products into Cameroon would be liberalised gradually and asymmetrically, 
keeping in view the status of Cameroon's developing economy. Tariff liberalization resulti ng from 
the Agreement concern ed 3 categories of products . Since 4 August 2015, 25% of the MFN rate had 
been applied to products in the first categor y which contributed directly to the welfare of the 
population, included pharm aceuticals, fertiliser, pestici des, pepper, bitumen and other oil products, 
computers , laboratory products and tractors. Since 4 August 2017 , products had been subject to WT/REG 274/M/1 
 
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  15% of the MFN tariff  (the rate applicable to products in the second category, possible drivers of 
industrialisation  and improvement of local production) ; plastics, lamps, marble, inputs for food 
production, chemicals, generators, transportation vehicles and trailers. As from 4 August 2019, 
tariffs had been reduced at the rate of 45% of MFN rates. For products in the th ird category, products 
would be subject to 10% of the MFN rate for complete dismantling on 4 August 20 29. This last 
category concerned high taxation products such as foil, cement, sedan cars and vehicles for transport 
of passengers to name a few.  
1.7.  Due to t he covid -19 crisis, the Cameroonian author ities ha d requested a moratorium for the 
kick-off of the final stage of liberalization of imports, as a force majeure event. This was currently 
under discussion in the Joi nt Committee , the body charged with adminis tration of all areas of the 
Agreement . It should be noted that a category of goods under the Agreement could be excluded 
from liberalisation if it was related to agricultural production as well as sensitive and infant industries. 
The excluded products incl uded wines and spirits, merged products , used clothes and tires.  
1.8.  For the application of these preferences, each Party had to adopt rules of origin. Cameroon's  
rules of origin were contained in Decree number 2015/367 of 3 August 2016 that laid down the rules 
of administrative cooperation for EU goods imported into Cameroon under the Agreement while the 
EU's rules of origin under the Agreement were set out in Regulation number 1528/2007, substitute d 
by Regulation 2016/1076. The Economic Cooperation Partnership Committee was currently working 
towards drafting common rules of origin.  
1.9.  In closing he reiterated that the Agreement had an important development component with an 
emphasis on assistance to fa cilitate its implementation. As a result the European Union had agreed 
to support Cameroon in the following areas; implementation of trade related rules, improvement of 
the business climate, agriculture and food security, strengthening diversification and boosting of the 
economy's productive sectors,  and deepening  of regional integration.  In a nutshell, these were some 
of the primary features of the Agreement for Cameroon.   
1.10.   The representative of the European Union  welcomed the CRTA 's consideration of the Economic 
Partnership Agreement (EPA) between the EU and Cameroon. He presented the Committee with a 
presentation  describing aspects of the Agreement.  
1.11.   The EU was grateful to the Secretariat for the preparation of the Factual Presenta tion and to 
Cameroon for its cooperation in th e exercise. He also t hanked the M embers that ha d submitted 
questions and their interest in the consideration of th e Agreement.  
1.12.   In recalling the broader economic and political context within which the Agreement  was 
situated,  for decades, he noted that t he EU had been the main trade partner of Cameroon. I n 2019, 
47% of Cameroon's exports and 28% of its imports from the world  were with the EU . China was a 
distant 2nd most important trade partner f or Camer oon. In 2019, total trade between the EU and 
Cameroon amounted to almost €3.5 b illion. In that year, the EU faced a trade deficit of €721 mi llion. 
The m ain EU imports from Cameroon consist ed of commodities: oil (48%), cocoa beans (19%), and 
bananas (7%) . EU exports were quite diversified and cover ed machiner y, medicaments, clothes, 
refined oils, cement clinkers  and cars.  
1.13.   The m ain features of th e Agreement  were as follows. The EU and Cameroon had concluded 
negotiations on an interim Economic Partnership Agreement  in 2007. The European Parliament had 
approved the agreement in June 2013 and it had been  ratified by Cameroon in July 2014. Provisional 
application had become  effective as of 4 August 2014.  The Agreement ha d provided Cameroon with 
unprecedented free access to the EU market for all its products. All goods from Cameroon enter ed 
the EU duty and quota -free. This include d bananas, aluminium, processed cocoa products, plywood 
and other fresh and transformed agricultural products. For its par t, since 4 August 2016 , the EU ha d 
also benefited from a gradual liberalisation of its products on the Cameroon market.   
 
1.14.   The provisions on trade in goods cover ed duty–free, quota -free access to the EU for all imports 
from Cameroon. There was also partial and gradual dismantling  of import duties  by Cameroon for 
goods originating from the EU . The Agreement also contained a  chapter on trade defence , chapter s 
on TBT and SPS , and  a trade facilitation chapter aimed at more efficient customs procedures and 
better cooperation between administrations . WT/REG274/M/1  
 
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  1.15.   Imports of goods from the EU, liberaliz ed from 4 August 2016  were industrial machines , 
electrical equipment and certain chemicals. The se were mostly inputs used by Cameroon's industries 
that were not produced loc ally. These imports were totally  liberalised . In 2017, tariff reduction s for 
a second category of products had been  launched , and his Cameroonian colleague had provided 
detailed information on the  products  included .  
1.16.   The Agreement included a detailed dispu te settlement mechanism to support effective 
implementation of the Agreement. New, improved rules of origin were currently under negotiation 
and would be annexed to the Agreement  as soon as possible. In the meantime, Cameroon benefit ted 
from the  improved r ules of origin included in the Council Regulation to that effect. The Agreement 
also maintain ed the possibilities under the Cotonou Agreement regarding the adoption (by either 
Party) of measures deemed appropriate concerning human rights, democratic princi ples, the rule of 
law, and so on and so forth.   
1.17.   In order to be able to take full advantage of the Agreement 's trade preferences, it included a 
cooperation component. The EU in collaboration with the Cameroonian Government and private 
sector ha d identified priority areas . These were :  
• Development of basic regional infrastructure;   
• Agriculture and food security;  
• Industry, diversification and competitiveness of economies;  
• Strengthening of regional integration;  
• Improvement of the business environment; and  
• Supporting Implementation of trade -related rules.  
 
He provided the Committee with a slide of further information on the priority areas.  
 
1.18.   Negotiations for a comprehensive EPA with the Central Africa region (Cameroon, Central 
African Republic, Chad, Congo, Democratic Republic of Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Sao Tome 
y Principe) had been  launched in 2003. The Agreement  was a step towards this full regional 
agreement. Indeed, it offer ed the possibility to diversify and deepen the partnership according to 
the needs and objectives of its beneficiaries. Its vocation being regional, it was open to any country 
or group of countries of the region interested in acceding to it.  
1.19.   The European Uni on and the African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) countries and regions ha d 
enjoyed a Strategic Partnership since the ACP -EU Partnership Agreement had been  signed in Cotonou 
on 23 June 2000. Th e Cotonou Agreement was the most comprehensive partnership agreem ent 
between developing countries and the EU. It ha d been the framework for the EU's relations with 79 
countries from the ACP. The Agreement ha d economic, political and development dimensions and 
was characterised by equality of the partners, broad -based pa rticipation (States and non -State 
actors), dialogue and regional integration. The ACP States and the EU hope d to finish negotiations 
on a successor to the Cotonou Agreement as soon as possible . The EU was committed to supporting 
the ACP  countries ' integrat ion into the world 's trading system to expand their trade and also to 
enable the m to benefit from the global economy. For this reason, the EU ha d signed under the 
umbrella of the Cotonou Agreement, several EPAs with the ACP countries and regions aiming at 
promoting sustainable development and ACP -EU trade, in line with WTO rules. The EPAs were "tailor -
made" agreements to suit specific regional circumstances and intend ed to support trade 
diversification while taking into account different socio -economic circ umstances. They ha d helped 
African countries to adapt to external competition and diversify their export structures, advantages 
that would be beneficial when the implementation of the AfCFTA would come.  The EU look ed forward 
to a fruitful discussion and would endeavour to answer all Members' questions.  
 
1.20.   The delegation of the United States  thanked the Parties  and the Secretariat and for the 
transparency provided in relation to the Agreement. She noted the pending status of government 
procurement, TRIPS and a common protocol on rules on origin, and requested a brief update from 
the Parties.  
1.21.   The delegation of the Europe an Union  thanked the United States and noted that there were 
cooperation provisions in relation to those areas. Discussions on those topics and also trade in 
services were of common future interest. However , the Parties would focus first on implementation 
and deepening cooperation under th e Agreement whilst standing ready to init iate discussions on 
those and other subjects once there was a common willingness to do so.  WT/REG 274/M/1 
 
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  1.22.   The representative of Canada  thanked the Parties for their answers to the questions as we ll 
as the Secretariat for the preparation of the Factual Presentation.  
1.23.   The Chairman  noted that c onsideration of the Goods Aspects of the Economic Partnership 
Agreement between the European Union and Cameroon ha d allowed  clarification of a number of 
questio ns and the Committee could now conclude oral discussion of this RTA in accordance with 
paragraph 11 of the Transparency Mechanism. Any delegations wish ing to ask follow -up questions 
were invited to forward submissions in writing to the Secretariat by 25 No vember 2020 and Parties 
were asked to submit replies in writing by no later than 9 December 2020. In accordance with 
paragraph 13 of the Transparency Mechanism all written submissions, as well as minutes of this 
meeting would be circulated promptly, in all  WTO official languages, and made available on the WTO 
website.  
1.24.   The Committee took note  of the statements made.  
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