EAC body extends consumer protection services to Rwanda

Arusha. The East African Community Competition Authority (EACCA) has extended its services to Rwanda after Tanzania and Kenya.

To this effect, the institution of the East African Community (EAC) has signed an agreement with a Rwanda government agency on consumer protection.

"The Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) will strengthen cooperation in the advancement of competition policy," a statement issued by the EAC said.

The signing between EACCA and Rwanda's Inspectorate, Competition and Consumer Protection Agency (Rica) took place in Kigali last week.

The MoU, according to the EAC secretariat, will ensure the two authorities implement their assigned mandates discreetly.

"The agreement will foster joint efforts in addressing competition and consumer protection matters," the statement added.

Advancement of competition policy and laws will also enhance cross-border trade and regional integration in the bloc.

The MoU sets out modalities for collaborative initiatives through which they will cooperate and coordinate their activities in regard to cross-border competition and consumer protection matters.

Speaking during the event, Ms Lilian Mukoronia, EACCA Registrar noted that the development of the cooperation framework has taken time.

"Such cooperation frameworks enable information sharing with the EAC partner states in handling competition enforcement and advocacy issues as well as creating efficient markets in the bloc," she said.

Ms Mukoronia expressed her commitment to the partnership in addressing common competition challenges in the region.

“It is important to foster a regulatory environment that supports fair competition, innovation and the protection of consumer rights in the community,” she said.

On her part, Ms Beatrice Uwumukiza, the Director General of Rica underscored the agency's commitment to closely work with EACCA "to keep developing capacity in competition and consumer protection matters".

A similar MoU was signed here between EACCA and the Fair Competition Commission (FCC) of Tanzania in October last year.

Ms Mukoronia insisted that the authority was reaching out to the EAC partner states primarily in order to facilitate regional trade.

She lauded FCC for being passionate in the deal, saying the move would support the regional strategy for developing a competitive common market "that works for all citizens of East Africa".

She added;" Today, our two institutions are committing to collaborate in effectively implementing the EAC Competition Act, 2006".

Ms Mukoronia added that the Competition Act was intended to, among others, protect market participants "from anti-competitive business practices".

FCC director general William Erio said the Commission was keen to work with the regional competition authority to protect the consumer.

Under the MoU, the two institutions have set up a working group tasked with implementing the prioritized activities through annual work plans.

Tanzania was the second country among the seven EAC member states to sign an MoU with the regional competition authority after Kenya.

In May last year, the Arusha-based EACCA signed its first technical agreement with the Competition Authority of Kenya (CAK).

The agreement laid out modalities through which the agencies will mitigate competition infringements with cross border effects.

Furthermore, the pact facilitates information sharing particularly during joint investigations, market inquiries and studies.

The pact with CAK, just like two others inked with Tanzania and Rwanda, are intended to provide consumers in the EAC partner states with "competitively priced products of good quality."

The EACCA was established in furtherance of the commitment of the partner states, to cooperate in trade liberalization and development, including matters of competition.

Under it, the partner states undertook to prohibit any practice that adversely affects free trade including any agreement that would restrict or distort unfair competition within the EAC.