Closely linked to this are inadequate trade support infrastructures. Ministries of Trade/Commerce which have the statutory responsibility for trade issues lack the requisite skills to effectively implement policies. Lack of subject matter specialists in Trade and its allied domains have been observed in all the Member States. Apart from a Customs staff training college in Ghana and Nigeria, there is no other such skill training centre in the zone. Apart from WTO assisted periodic trade policy reviews, Member States do not conduct country trade policy and institutional assessment to gauge policy environment required for good trade governance and effective trade facilitation. The level of awareness of the ETLS among the business community in some of the Member States is low. Simplified and reader friendly ICT materials are not available in any of the Member States. Nation-wide radio, road shows and television programmes on the scheme are seldom done. Bill boards and banners were not observed in any of the countries visited. Box 2: Complaints by Member States on ETLS Type of Background of complaint Commissions action Legal Justification Complaint Tariff Liberia refuses to implement the The ECOWAS Commission Protocol A/P1/1/03 on the Barriers protocol on the free movement of has received official complaints definition of the goods from Cote Ghana, originating products from d’Ivoire, Guinea and Nigeria, from the member States of approved enterprises (Nestlé, ECOWAS and Seven Up bottling) that are facing obstacles in the exportation of their products. The Commission advices that Liberia should implement the protocol Guinea refuses to grant access to a The ECOWAS Commission Senegalese company with approved tried to have a discussion with Tariff Protocol A/P1/1/03 on the products from GMD. Guinea NAC without success. Barriers definition of the The approved products originating products from originating from Senegal were
Closely linked to this are inadequate trade support infrastructures. Ministries of Trade/Commerce which have the statutory responsibility for trade issues lack the requisite skills to effectively implement policies. Lack of subject matter specialists in Trade and its allied domains have been observed in all the Member States. Apart from a Customs staff training college in Ghana and Nigeria, there is no other such skill training centre in the zone. Apart from WTO assisted periodic trade policy reviews, Member States do not conduct country trade policy and institutional assessment to gauge policy environment required for good trade governance and effective trade facilitation. The level of awareness of the ETLS among the business community in some of the Member States is low. Simplified and reader friendly ICT materials are not available in any of the Member States. Nation-wide radio, road shows and television programmes on the scheme are seldom done. Bill boards and banners were not observed in any of the countries visited. Box 2: Complaints by Member States on ETLS Type of Complaint Background of complaint Commissions action Legal Justification Tariff Barriers Liberia refuses to implement the protocol on the free movement of goods The ECOWAS Commission has received official complaints from Cote d’Ivoire, Ghana, Guinea and Nigeria, from approved enterprises (Nestlé, and Seven Up bottling) that are facing obstacles in the exportation of their products. The Commission advices that Liberia should implement the protocol Protocol A/P1/1/03 on the definition of the originating products from the member States of ECOWAS Tariff Barriers Guinea refuses to grant access to a Senegalese company with approved products from GMD. The ECOWAS Commission tried to have a discussion with Guinea NAC without success. The approved products originating from Senegal were Protocol A/P1/1/03 on the definition of the originating products from
Study%20on%20Trade%20Capacity%20of%20the%20Member%20States%20of%20the%20WAMZ_English.docx