The Non-Tariff Barrier Monitoring Mechanism

The NTB Monitoring Mechanism, launched in 2009 and administered by Trade Mark Southern Africa, serves as a regional instrument for reporting and eliminating non-tariff barriers across 26 countries in the COMESA, EAC, and SADC regions. It complements existing rules-based trade regimes by providing a 'conciliatory and non-adjudicatory' approach, which is particularly valuable for small and medium enterprises (SMEs) that are disproportionately affected by NTBs. The mechanism integrates the private sector through national focal points and National Monitoring Committees (NMCs), fostering domestic consultation and transparency. While the resolution of barriers ultimately depends on government political will, the mechanism's structures are expected to be codified in the final Tripartite Free Trade Agreement.

• The NTB Monitoring Mechanism is a regional tool for the monitoring, reporting, and elimination of non-tariff barriers across the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA), East African Community (EAC), and Southern African Development Community (SADC).
• Non-tariff barriers disproportionately impact small and medium enterprises (SMEs), hindering the development of new businesses and increasing the cost of cross-border trade.
• The mechanism is administered primarily by Trade Mark Southern Africa (TMSA) and involves government and private-sector focal points from 26 countries, as well as the three REC Secretariats.
• The mechanism promotes a 'facilitative' or 'horizontal' approach to resolving trade disputes, which acts as a supplement to formal rules-based systems and avoids the need for litigious state-to-state dispute settlement.
• Private sector participation is mainstreamed through the appointment of focal points in each of the 26 countries and the establishment of National Monitoring Committees (NMCs), which help standardize domestic consultation processes.
• As of April 2013, the most frequent types of NTBs logged included lengthy and costly customs procedures (53), issues related to rules of origin (44), and costly road user charges (33).

APA

Chikura, C. (2013). The Non-Tariff Barrier Monitoring Mechanism. South African Institute of International Affairs. https://saiia.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/REV_SAIIA_perisa_ps_CS1chikura_20131212.pdf

Chicago

Chikura, Cynthia. The Non-Tariff Barrier Monitoring Mechanism. South African Institute of International Affairs, 2013. https://saiia.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/REV_SAIIA_perisa_ps_CS1chikura_20131212.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Chikura |first1=Cynthia |title=The Non-Tariff Barrier Monitoring Mechanism |publisher=South African Institute of International Affairs |date=August 2013 |url=https://saiia.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/REV_SAIIA_perisa_ps_CS1chikura_20131212.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{chikura2013nontariff, author = {Chikura, Cynthia}, title = {{The Non-Tariff Barrier Monitoring Mechanism}}, institution = {South African Institute of International Affairs}, year = {2013}, month = aug, url = {https://saiia.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/REV_SAIIA_perisa_ps_CS1chikura_20131212.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }