(Business in Cameroon) – Bafoussam, the capital of Cameroon’s Western Region, hosted a significant workshop on April 30, 2025, dedicated to exploring the opportunities and benefits of the Economic Partnership Agreements (EPAs) between Cameroon and the European Union (EU). This event, organized by the Central Africa Regional Integration and Investment Support Program (Pairac) in collaboration with the National Committee for Monitoring and Implementing the Cameroon-EU EPA, brought together a wide range of stakeholders. Economic operators, experts, regional public administration officials, and representatives from international organizations were all present.
The workshop provided a platform for several informative discussions. Among the key topics were the presentation of the EPA and the customs exemptions it involves, as well as a deep dive into rules of origin, intellectual property matters, and the synergy between the EPA and the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).
One of the highlights of the event was the experience-sharing session by Proleg, a vegetable production company based in Bandjoun, close to Bafoussam. Proleg was one of the winners of the inaugural “EPA Award,” which recognizes companies that have most effectively leveraged the EPAs signed between African countries and the EU. The company received this prestigious award on July 5, 2023, in Yaoundé.
According to the event organizers, the Bafoussam workshop is part of a broader series of activities aimed at supporting the successful implementation of the EPA. These initiatives align with Pairac’s goals, which aim to increase the number of local businesses, particularly small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), benefiting from the trade agreement.
Currently, large companies are the primary beneficiaries of the EPA. Data from Cameroon’s customs services show that over the five years of the agreement’s implementation (2016-2020), which has gradually opened Cameroon’s market to 80% of EU imports—while providing full exemptions for Cameroonian exports to the EU—large businesses have captured 86% of the fiscal benefits generated by the EPA. Medium-sized enterprises have captured 13%, while the remaining 1% has been distributed among other beneficiaries.
BRM
