The Kenya Association of Manufacturers (KAM) has urged the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (Comesa) to establish an institution to deal with counterfeits and dumping in the regional market.
During a meeting with Comesa secretary general Chileshe Kapwepwe, KAM acting CEO Tobias Alando expressed concern that counterfeits and dumping constituted a large segment of the goods traded within the region.
“About 40% of manufactured goods in the market in Kenya are counterfeits,” he said.
He said the failure to address counterfeit goods was distorting the regional market.
The successful establishment of the Comesa Competition Commission could be used as a model to fight against counterfeits and dumping.
Alando also raised other issues of concern during the meeting regarding the need for a solution on double taxation and gaps in the Comesa Rules of Origin.
KAM believes that the rules of origin leave room for misuse, especially on what constitutes as value addition for products not originating from the region in order for them to meet the criteria of a locally produced product.