THE East African Legislative Assembly (EALA) has laid emphasis on creating laws that will improve the business environment in the region.

Speaking during the courtesy visit to East African Business Council (EABC) recently, EALA Chairperson Christopher Nduwayo noted that the regional assembly was committed to formulating business-centric laws to spur intra-EAC trade and investments.

"EALA exercises legislative, oversight and representative functions on matters pertain to the EAC integration agenda," he said.

In his rejoinder EABC Policy and Trade advisor, Adrian Njau applauded the EAC partner state for adopting 35 per cent tariff as the fourth band of the EAC Common External Tariff a move set to boost regional value chains and industrialisation.

Mr Njau further expounded that tax distortions impede the free movement of goods, services, service suppliers, labour and capital and urged the MPs to champion ratification of the 'EAC Agreement for the Avoidance of Double Taxation and the Prevention of Fiscal Evasion with Respect to Taxes on Income' in a bid to reduce the cost of doing business and attract more investments.

"Non -Tariff Barriers continue stifling intra-EAC trade and arise from protectionist measures by partner states," he stated.

According to Mr Njau, overdue operationalisation of the EAC Trade Remedies Committee tasked to handle matters relating to the application of Rules of Origin and trade disputes, anti-dumping measures, subsidies and countervailing measures, safeguard measures has aggravated the problem of resolving NTBs in the region.

EAC partner states had by February this year, managed to resolve 230 NTBs.

He however appealed to the MPs to oversee that the EAC partner states finalise the amendment of the EAC Elimination of NTB Act, 2016 and its Regulations by July 2022.

Harmonisation of standards, Review of EAC Rules of Origin, Free movement of services, services suppliers, workers, Liberalisation of air transport services, Single tourist visa, One Network Area for telecommunication, Business resilience amid Covid-19 and Fast-tracking implementation of African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) are among priorities presented to the MPs.