Pharma manufacturers to benefit from EU-East Africa and Ecuador trade deals

Published: 20-Nov-2014

Both deals also include intellectual property protections


European Union (EU) pharmaceutical manufacturers will benefit from two new free trade deals negotiated by the EU – with the East African Community (EAC) and Ecuador.

The EAC deal covers the growing markets of Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Rwanda and Burundi – and will see these countries phasing out their import tariffs on EU exports over the next 15 years.

As regards EAC exports to the EU, Kenya-made products will become duty free – the other countries largely have duty free access anyway under the EU’s ‘everything but arms’ duty free arrangements for least-developed countries.

The EU-Ecuador free trade deal will also see tariffs being phased out for most goods and raw materials traded between the two jurisdictions following ratification. Both deals also include intellectual property protections.

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