ECOWAS TEC (Common External Tariff)
Common customs tariff applied by the 15 ECOWAS member states to imports from third countries.
ECOWAS TEC — Common External Tariff
The CET is the single customs tariff applied by the 15 member states of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) to imports from third countries.
Structure
The CET has five tariff bands: 0% for essential social goods, 5% for basic necessities and inputs, 10% for inputs and intermediate products, 20% for final consumption goods, and 35% for specific goods requiring protection.
Additional taxes
In addition to the customs duty, there is the Community Levy (PC) of 1.5% for the benefit of ECOWAS, the Community Solidarity Levy (PCS) of 0.8% for the benefit of UEMOA (for the 8 countries concerned), and the Statistical Royalty (RS) of 1%.
French-speaking member countries
Eight of the 15 ECOWAS countries are French-speaking (Benin, Burkina Faso, Ivory Coast, Guinea, Mali, Niger, Senegal, Togo), forming the UEMOA zone.
Practical importance
Mastery of the TEC is essential for any major operator in the ECOWAS region. Tariff classification follows the Harmonized System, with national subdivisions beyond the 6th digit.