Introduction
- The Treaty Establishing the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA) provides, in Article 48, that goods shall be accepted as eligible for Common Market treatment if they originate in the Member States, and the definition of such products shall be as provided in a Protocol on Rules of Origin. The Protocol on COMESA Rules of Origin are provided at Annex IX (Rules of Origin).
- COMESA Rules of Origin are a set of criteria that are used to distinguish between goods that are produced within the COMESA Member States (originating goods) and are entitled to preferential tariff treatment and those that are considered to have been produced outside the COMESA (non-originating) region that attract full import duties when traded.
- From the foregoing, COMESA Rules of Origin are Preferential Rules of Origin.