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Taxation and Customs Union
News article18 September 2020Directorate-General for Taxation and Customs Union

Adoption of Protocol on rules of origin to the EU-Ghana stepping stone EPA, in force since 20 August 2020

The EU and Ghana have adopted a common reciprocal protocol on rules of origin to the EU-Ghana stepping stone Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA).

Exports from the EU to Ghana shall benefit from the preferential tariff treatment of the EPA upon presentation of an origin declaration made out by any exporter for consignments equal or below EUR 6 000, or by exporters registered in the EU’s REX system for consignments which value exceeds EUR 6 000.

The EU and Ghana are implementing a stepping-stone Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) since 15 December 2016. The stepping-stone EPA is a trade and development agreement, which aims at promoting Ghana-EU trade while contributing, through trade and investment, to sustainable development and poverty reduction.

Ghana's trade with the EU amounts to €5.5 billion. The EU is Ghana's main market for its agri-business products (cocoa beans and transformed cocoa, canned tuna, fruit etc.) and supplies a large part of the equipment that contributes to economic growth.

The reciprocal protocol on rules of origin to the EU-Ghana stepping stone EPA has entered into force on 20 August 2020. This protocol governs the rules of origin for all the exports under preferential tariff treatment provided for the agreement.

The protocol provides for transparent and modern rules of origin and origin procedures (e.g. non-alteration, accounting segregation, modern provisions on cumulation, etc).

Exports from the EU to Ghana shall benefit from the preferential tariff treatment of the EPA upon presentation of an origin declaration made out by any exporter for consignments equal or below EUR 6 000, or by exporters registered in the EU’s REX system for consignments which value exceeds EUR 6 000.

Ghana enjoys a 3-years transition period to adopt exclusively self-certification.

Find more information in the ACP page.

Details

Publication date
18 September 2020
Author
Directorate-General for Taxation and Customs Union