EA set to launch Common Market Scorecard 2016
The second East African Community Common Market Scorecard 2016 (CMS 2016) which evaluates implementation of the EAC Common Market Protocol, will be launched on October 27, 2016 in Kampala, Uganda. The Scorecard has been developed by the EAC Secretariat with the support of the World Bank Group and Trade Mark East Africa.
The main purpose of the scorecard is to measure compliance of selected commitments to the Protocol – and in so doing, facilitate policy dialogue by identifying good practices, track reforms, facilitate sharing of reform experiences, and enable research and analysis on the links between reforms in measured areas and desired outcomes.
The second publication of the scorecard (CMS 2016) brings to light, in respect of the recommendations of the 2014 edition, reforms undertaken by each Partner State and establishes whether Partner States have enacted new restrictions or nonconforming measures since September 30, 2013.
Fundamentals behind non-compliance with conformity measures are identified and appropriate measures recommended for spurring the region’s move towards full implementation of the focal commitments in the four freedoms in the Common Market Protocol, namely: the free movement of goods; labour; services; and capital, which significantly boost trade and investments and make the region more productive and prosperous.
The scorecard 2016 focuses on the following three freedoms that were also the basis of the CMS2014 assessment:
- Capital (focusing on 20 operations)
- Services (focusing on four key service sectors - Professional Services (Architecture, Engineering, Accounting and Legal services); Transport (Road and Air); Telecommunications and Distribution Services.
- Goods (focusing on NTBs)
Article 50 of the EAC Common Market Protocol requires the development of the a framework for monitoring and evaluating the implementation of the Protocol. The Protocol was signed by the regional Leaders on November 20, 2009 and came into force on July 1, 2010.