Non-tariff barriers have become cash cows in Africa - Fesarta

Free trade in Africa remains nothing but a pipe dream because instead of doing away with non-tariff barriers more and more are being introduced on a daily basis. According to Barney Curtis, executive director of the Federation of East and Southern African Road Transport Associations (Fesarta), non-tariff barriers have become a massive cash cow in the region and dire measures are needed to address the situation that is beginning to impact on regional trade. With organisations such as Trademark Southern Africa (TMSA) maintaining that the removal of tariff and non-tariff barriers between countries could lead to trade expansion, the continuous implementation of NTBs is pushing up costs on all fronts. In Zambia new standards for fuel tankers have seen a regulation implemented that all fuel tankers have to be inspected at a cost of $150 per vehicle, while a health inspection in Malawi now costs $20. In Mozambique on the Beira route a new charge has been put in place of $50 and all vehicles need an escort for a certain section of the road. In Zimbabwe many truckers say they cannot keep up with the speed of new standards being introduced. While most experts agree there has been a major improvement in addressing NTBs, the past few months have been a cause for concern. According to Curtis, new NTBs are being reported to the Tripartite alliance NTB system all the time. “The NTBs are flooding in and the only reason is that many of these countries are seeing the road transport industry as a cash cow. We have new instances of fees or charges being levied all the time.” Gavin Kelly, spokesman for the Road Freight Association (RFA), agreed with Curtis saying a solution was needed sooner rather than later. “The costs are escalating very quickly and there is nothing that can be done other than to just pay or face the risk of having one’s truck and other equipment confiscated.” According to Curtis the time has come for the road transport industry to stand together to address NTBs. “There is going to have to be a day of reckoning. We are therefore calling on the industry to continue reporting all of these incidents as it will allow authorities to see the severity of the issue,” said Curtis. One of the major obstacles in the region regarding NTB’s is the lack of agreement between countries and role-players over how to eliminate the barriers. At the same time the lack of a legally binding framework to force countries to comply results in many being able to implement regulations as and when they wish – regardless of these barriers.