Check the agreements that can facilitate your import, export & investment
As a business based in Rwanda you can benefit from trade and double taxation agreements that the government has negotiated for you.
- Trade agreements will allow you to pay less or no tariffs when exporting your goods
- Double taxation agreements will allow you to pay taxes in only one country and be recognised by the other administration too
- Investment agreement will facilitate the condition of your investment in Rwanda and provide you a legal basis in case things do not go as foreseen
Check the agreements signed by the Government of Rwanda to make your product/service easier to sell internationally:
| Region | Country | Type | Signed | Ratified | Description | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mutilateral | WTO TFA | Trade arrangement | 2016 | The WTO Trade Facilitation Agreement (TFA) aims to expedite the movement, release and clearance of goods. It also sets customs cooperation. Rwanda signed it and it is well advance implementing it. It already notified all A provisions and it is progressing on the B provisions (to be implemented by 2020 latest) and searching for funding on the C provisions (to be implemented by 2022 latest). | Document | ||
| Europe | EU GSP / EBA | Trade arrangement | n/a | n/a | Trade arrangement given by the EU to development countries. Rwanda, as LDC, benefits from full coverage: DFQF on everything but arms. | Document | |
| Europe | EU-EAC EPA | Regional trade agreement | 2016 | Signed and ratified by Kenya. Signed by Rwanda and the EU. Discussions in the next EAC Summit on Burundi, Tanzania, and Uganda position. Better RoO for textiles than GSP/EBA. The non-signature of Tanzania and Burundi blocks the ratification | Document | ||
| Europe | Belgium Luxembourg Economic Union | Bilateral Investment Treaty | 1983 | Standard first generation BIT providing protections for investors in the form MFN, fair & equitable treatment, protection against expropriation, prohibition of unreasonable, arbitrary or discriminatory measures, free transfer of funds, very broad definition of investment and investor, and access to investor-state dispute settlement mechanism. | Document | ||
| Europe | Belgium Luxembourg Economic Union | Bilateral Investment Treaty | 2007 | Standard first generation BIT providing protections for investors in the form MFN, fair & equitable treatment, protection against expropriation, prohibition of unreasonable, arbitrary or discriminatory measures, free transfer of funds, very broad definition of investment and investor, and access to investor-state dispute settlement mechanism. | Document | ||
| Europe | Jersey | Double Taxation Agreement | 2015 | Ratified | Signed by The Republic of Rwanda and the Government of Jersey, this is a brief agreement outlining the agreed provisions against double taxation and fiscal evasion. | Document | |
| America | US - AGOA | Trade arrangement | n/a | n/a | Trade arrangement given by the US to Africa. Main advantage: DFQF access and relaxed RoO on textiles, apparel and speciality food. Started in 2000 for an initial 15-year period. It was extended until 2025. | Document | |
| America | Barbados | Double Taxation Agreement | 2014 | Ratified | A recent double taxation agreement between Barbados and the Republic of Rwanda covering personal income, corporate income and tax on rent of immovable property signed at London on the 22nd of Dec. 2014. | Document | |
| Asia | Singapore | Double Taxation Agreement | 2014 | Ratified | Signed on the 26th of August 2014 and entered into forve on th e 15th of February 2016 this is a modern doublt taxation agreement aiming to strengthen economic relations and greater cooperation in tax matters between the two countries. | Document | |
| Africa | ECCAS | Trade agreement | The Art 6 of the Treaty establishing ECCAS in 1981 indicates the creation of a free trade area and a customs union in twenty-years. In 2004 ECCAS launched its free trade area aiming at establishing a customs union of CET by 2008. Postponed due to the weak domestication of agreed procedures by MS. On average, MS reduced only 34 per cent of tariff lines on intra-ECCAS tariffs to zero. ECCAS is the region with the lowest share of intraregional trade. In 2007 they adopted the ECCAS Strategic Vision at the Horizon 2025 that aims at trade integration. As of 1994 the CEMAC the monetary union is operating in 6 countries but the customs union not yet. ECCAS implements trade facilitation programmes such as one-stop border posts, competition and IP studies and they have a Regional Strategy on investment and establishing a Small and Medium Enterprises Guarantee Fund. | Document | |||
| Africa | CEPGL | Investment agreement | 1982 | Agreement establishing the community investment code of the Economic Community of the Great Lake Countries (CEPGL) signed with the republic of Burundi and the National Executive Council of the Republic of Zaire. | Document | ||
| Africa | EAC | Trade agreement | 2010 | The EAC established a Customs Union in 2005 which was fully-fledged with zero internal tariffs as from 2010. The EAC, in fast tracking its economic integration process, ratified a more far-reaching common market protocol in July 2010. In November 2013, EAC Members signed a protocol on a monetary union. The integration agenda of the EAC is strongly political in nature as its ultimate goal is to become a federation. | Document | ||
| Africa | DRC | MoU | 2016 | Simplified Trade Regime MOU under COMESA | Document | ||
| Africa | Mauritius | Bilateral Investment Treaty | 2001 | Standard first generation BIT between the Government of Mauritius and Government of Rwanda. Renegotiation discussions are ongoing. | Document | ||
| Africa | Uganda | Customs agreement | 1969 | Customs Agreement Rwanda Uganda | Document | ||
| Africa | Zambia | Trade agreement | 1982 | Trade Exchange Agreement Rwanda Zambia | Document |