Next January 16, in Ebolowa, South Cameroon, the European Union delegation to Cameroon will train Cameroonian SMEs to the use of its platform “Trade Helpdesk.”

“Participation in this training session is free but pre-registration is advised because there is a limited number of seats,” the delegation indicates.

Here Is All You Need To Know

• According to the EU, the aim of the training is to improve access to exports-trade data and to other services. 

It will also inform of the opportunities presented by the economic partnership agreement between Cameroon and the European Union. 

The training is crucial because in the Central African region, Cameroon is not only the European Union’s main trading partner but also the first country in the region to implement an economic partnership agreement (an agreement that ensures that Cameroonian goods can reach the European Union’s market without customs duties) with the EU.

However, the only incentive of accessing the European Union market without paying customs duty is to guarantee a better implementation of this agreement by Cameroon ‘s SMEs. 

According to the terms of the agreement, the European Union must support Cameroon in the implementation of the economic partnership agreement by offering, among other things, dedicated upgrading programs to Cameroonian companies. 

A Look At ‘Trade Helpdesk’

The “Trade Helpdesk”, launched in 2017, is part of that agreement, the EU reveals.

The European Union (EU) is the world’s largest single market and the EU Trade Helpdesk is a one-stop-shop to access it. The EU is committed to helping exporters in its trade partner countries with the information they need to:

• Make the most of the trade agreements we have put in place;
• Bring their products onto the EU market.

The EU is a Customs Union — its 28 member countries form a single territory for customs purposes. This means that:

• no customs duties are paid on goods moving between EU Member States
• all apply a common customs tariff for goods imported from outside the EU
• goods that have been legally imported can circulate throughout the EU with no further customs checks

Charles Rapulu Udoh

Charles Rapulu Udoh is a Lagos-based lawyer who has advised startups across Africa on issues such as startup funding (Venture Capital, Debt financing, private equity, angel investing etc), taxation, strategies, etc. He also has special focus on the protection of business or brands’ intellectual property rights ( such as trademark, patent or design) across Africa and other foreign jurisdictions.
He is well versed on issues of ESG (sustainability), media and entertainment law, corporate finance and governance.
He is also an award winning writer.
He could be contacted at udohrapulu@gmail.com