July 13, 2012
News Release 12-078
Inv. No. 332-530
Contact: Peg O'Laughlin, 202-205-1819

USITC REPORTS ON TRADE FACILITATION IN THE EAST AFRICAN COMMUNITY

The U.S. International Trade Commission (USITC) today released its report on trade facilitation in the East African Community (EAC), a regional governmental organization that includes Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania, and Uganda.

The investigation, Trade Facilitation in the East African Community: Recent Developments and Potential Benefits, was requested by the U.S. Trade Representative.

As requested, the report summarizes recent trade facilitation developments in the EAC and describes the potential benefits of trade facilitation to the EAC countries, based on empirical studies and the experiences of other developing countries. Highlights of the report follow.

Trade Facilitation in the East African Community: Recent Developments and Potential Benefits (Investigation No. 332-530, USITC publication 4335, July 2012) is available on the USITC's Internet site at http://www.usitc.gov/publications/332/pub4335.pdf.

The report may be requested by sending an email to pubrequest@usitc.gov, by calling 202-205-2000, or by writing the Office of the Secretary, U.S. International Trade Commission, 500 E Street SW, Washington, DC 20436.

USITC general factfinding investigations, such as this one, cover matters related to tariffs or trade. The investigations are generally conducted at the request of USTR, the Senate Committee on Finance, or the House Committee on Ways and Means; the USITC may also self-initiate investigations. The resulting reports convey the Commission's objective findings and independent analyses on the subjects investigated. The Commission makes no recommendations on policy or other matters in its general factfinding reports. Upon completion of each investigation, the USITC submits its findings and analyses to the requester. General factfinding investigation reports are subsequently released to the public, unless they are classified by the requester for national security reasons.

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