Trade
EU, Kenya Sign Trade Pact Seen as Model for East African States
- Trade deal gives Kenya quota-free, duty-free EU market access
- Kenya will also open up its market to the EU gradually
The European Union signed a trade agreement with Kenya, giving the nation duty- and quota-free access to the bloc, a long-negotiated deal it said is open for other East African countries join.
The economic partnership agreement has been under discussion for at least a decade. While Kenya agreed to a joint pact in 2016, four East African Community members — Burundi, Rwanda, Tanzania and Uganda — didn’t approve a regional deal. Except for Kenya, all EAC partner states are considered least developed countries and still enjoy duty-free and quota-free access to the EU market.