Multilateral Trade Agreement in Cameroon
Multilateral trade agreement generally aim for the gradual liberalisation of trade between countries, based on mutual concessions on the lowering of barriers. Agreements ratified by Cameroon support the development of trade and thus are part and parcel of domestic law and can be invoked directly in national courts.
services and intellectual property. They set out the principles of liberalisation and authorised exceptions. They set out the commitments made by each country to reduce tariffs and other barriers to trade, and open and keep open services markets. They define the procedures for settling disputes and oblige governments to ensure the transparency of their trade policy by notifying the WTO of the laws in force and the measures adopted, in parallel with the periodic reports drawn up by the Secretariat on countries’ trade policies. They also provide for special treatment to benefit developing countries.
Cameroon has been an original member of the WTO since 13 December 1995 and a member of the GATT since 3 May 1963. As noted above, Cameroon has implemented several of its Uruguay Round commitments, including the reduction of bound tariffs on agricultural products and the integration and gradual liberalisation of the textiles and clothing sector. List of commitments made, during the Uruguay Round covers the areas of agriculture, industry and services.
Indeed, Cameroon has bound its tariffs at a ceiling rate of 80 percent on all agricultural products, and at a ceiling rate of 50 percent on three non-agricultural products. However, these consolidations cover only 14.0% of its tariff lines, with an average bound rate of 79.9%. Other duties and taxes are bound at 80, 150 or 230%, depending on the product category. The applied rates presented below are nevertheless lower (ranging, as mentioned above, from 5 to 30% depending on product category, topped up by certain taxes and, for some products, «import excise duties» reaching up to 50% ad valorem). The average border protection (through all duties and taxes) is therefore 20.6%. To ensure Cameroon’s full and effective participation in multilateral trade, a National Technical Committee for Monitoring the WTO Agreement, made up of representatives from the public and private sectors, was set up by decree of the Prime Minister. Its main mission is to bring the legislative and regulatory framework into line with the new multilateral requirements, and to facilitate Cameroon’s integration into the global economic system.
It should be emphasized that some sectors are particularly affected by liberalization measures, which calls for a reinforcement of support measures for the private sector.
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