EU AfCFTA Technical Assistance Facility (TAF), 2021-2030

During 2023, The EU-TAF supported the AfCFTA Secretariats work on Trade in Goods through technical support on Rules of Origins (RoO), Non-Tariff Measures (NTM), trade remedies, customs cooperation and trade facilitation, and the Guided Trade Initiative (GTI). The EU-TAF has also provided additional support to the Secretariat in assisting Member States to revise their initial tariff offers to be in line with the findings of their regulatory audits and the negotiating guidelines. In the Service and Investment Protocols, the EU-TAF undertook a host of sector studies and analytical products that formed part of the basis for the negotiation and ultimately the adoption process of the protocols. In the area of Competition Policy, the EU-TAF supported the adoption of the Protocol on Competition Policy, as well as support for its partial revision afterwards, through the mobilisation of a long-term expert, and the execution of two regional workshops. Similarly, the EU-TAF contributed to the drafting of the Digital Trade Protocol as well as the Women and Youth in Trade Protocol. Both Protocols were later approved by the AU Assembly in February 2024. Furthermore, it is worth noting that the first call for proposals under the EU-TAFs Ad-hoc Support Fund was executed from July to September 2023. The programme received 76 eligible requests by stakeholders from the Regional Economic Communities, AU Member States and specialised agencies, and continental and regional private sector organisations. After a technical evaluation by the EU-TAF, 21 project proposals (6 for RECs, 9 for Member States, 1 for AU specialised agencies and 5 for regional and continental private sector organisations) have been selected by the AfCFTA Secretariat for the first round of implementation. This support has been critical since it directly contributes to the implementation of the agreement on the ground through diverse stakeholders.

The AfCFTA is one of the AU flagship projects under the ten-year implementation plan of its Agenda 2063. The main objective is to create a single market for goods and services with free movement of people and investments, thus expanding intra-African trade across the continent, enhancing competitiveness, and supporting economic transformation in Africa. Due to the low level of intra-regional trade in Africa and the high costs related to trading across borders in the African continent, supporting further trade integration and harmonisation is a priority for the AU and its member states to promote economic diversification and industrialisation that leads to economic development, employment and poverty reduction. Through an EU regional "Team Europe Initiative" (TEI), within the current EU regional multiannual indicative program 2021-2027, the EU TAF to support the AfCFTA was created by the EU and participating member states. The TAF is currently jointly financed by the EU Commission, France, Germany and Sweden and is meant to be an efficient, reactive and flexible mechanism to answer to the needs of African Union (AfCFTA Secretariat, AUC and some AU specialized agencies), RECs, its Member States and potentially regional private sector organisations relevant to the AfCFTA. The overall objective of the EU Technical Assistance Facility to support AfCFTA (EU-TAF), is to contribute to the African economic integration process through the realisation of the African Continental Free Trade Area. The specific objectives of the Action are to contribute to enhancing the capacity for preparing and conducting the remaining negotiations (all phases) of the AfCFTA. Strengthening the institutional capacity of targeted African institutions and countries to successfully implement the AfCFTA priority areas and manage the next steps towards a single market.