Staff Reporter

Zimbabwe is now benefiting from the sustained drive by President Emmerson Mnangagwa on the engagement and re-engagement policy.  As a result, Zimbabwean products to the European Union will now be expected to pay a reduced duty tariff or have it eliminated altogether under the EU-ESA Economic Partnership Agreement.

A notice by the EU in its official Journal of the European Union, of 27 September 2021, to the EU customs authorities, importers and economic operators involved in imports of products originating from Zimbabwe, indicates that Zimbabwe is now a beneficiary of the preferential tariff treatment. 

“Following a notification made by Zimbabwe to the Customs Cooperation Committee of the EU-ESA iEPA activating Article 18(3) of Protocol 1 to the EU-ESA iEPA from 1 July 2021 products originating in Zimbabwe shall, on importation into the EU, benefit from the preferential tariff treatment of the iEPA upon submission of an invoice declaration made out, as provided for in Article 23 of Protocol1.

“A Zimbabwean exporter registered in the EU’s Registered Exporter system (the REX system) or (ii) any Zimbabwean exporter where the total value of the originating products consigned does not exceed EUR6000,” read the notice.

Meanwhile, from 1 July 2021, movement certificates EUR1 and invoice declarations made out by approved exporters are no longer valid to claim preferential tariff treatment under the EU-ESA iEPA.

President Mnangagwa has been on a spirited drive engaging and re-engaging friends and foes to foster cooperation in trade and investments.  His efforts are paying off as foreign investors are showing interests in Zimbabwe and markets are opening up in Asia and now European Union for Zimbabwean products to be traded under favourable business conditions.