June 15, 2023
The 25th Ordinary Session of the Assembly of Heads of State and Government of the African Union which was held in Johannesburg, South Africa, in June 2015 launched the negotiations for the establishment of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA). The launch of the negotiations marked a major milestone in the implementation of the Summit Decision to establish a Continental Free Trade Area by 2017. The main objective of the AfCFTA negotiations was to achieve a comprehensive and mutually beneficial trade agreement among the Member States of the African Union.
The purpose of this Manual is to, namely;
i. Simplify the AfCFTA Rules of Origin for practical application by State Parties;
ii. Explain the basic origin criteria under the AfCFTA preferential trade regime;
iii. Provide guidance on the origin certification procedures;
iv. Provide guidance on the issuance of Proof of Origin;
v. Provide guidance on origin verification;
vi. Provide guidelines on the registration of exporters;
vii. Give guidance on the organizational requirements for the effective implementation of the AfCFTA Rules of Origin
Download the AfCFTA Rule of Origin Manual (Version 1.0 - July 2022).