Kenya is in the final stages of developing a comprehensive strategy to implement the Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) with the European Union, a move expected to significantly enhance trade relations and economic cooperation between the two partners. The Kenya-EU EPA Implementation Strategy will provide a detailed roadmap to fully exploit the benefits of the agreement, which came into force on July 1, 2024.
The agreement grants Kenyan products duty-free and quota-free access to the EU market, while offering European businesses a rules-based trade environment in Kenya and the broader region. In line with this, the draft strategy aims to grow Kenya’s export footprint beyond the traditional six EU countries—Germany, Belgium, Spain, Netherlands, France, and Italy—to at least half of the EU member states within the next decade.
The plan also seeks to diversify Kenya’s export basket, moving beyond tea, coffee, and horticulture to include value-added and manufactured products. This is expected to create more jobs and increase Kenya’s industrial competitiveness on the global stage.
A team of senior officials from various government ministries and agencies recently concluded a consultative review of the draft strategy in Naivasha. Principal Secretary for Trade, Regina Ombam, emphasized the importance of this exercise, saying it was vital in identifying gaps, addressing implementation challenges, and proposing practical solutions.
“This workshop provides a platform to develop a robust framework for tracking EPA implementation progress,” said PS Ombam. “The signing of the EPA marked a milestone in our trade and development agenda. It is now our responsibility to ensure its effective implementation in line with national priorities.”
The draft strategy focuses on six key areas: compliance with EU Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS) standards, promotion of trade and sustainable development, harmonization of customs and trade procedures, addressing Technical Barriers to Trade (TBTs), enhancing technical capacity, and leveraging ICT for digital trade.
Additionally, the strategy recognizes structured commodity trading as a strategic enabler for boosting Kenyan exports to the EU. Once finalized, the EPA Implementation Strategy will be a crucial tool in driving Kenya’s long-term trade growth and investment potential with Europe.
