PROTOCOL ON THE ESTABLISHMENT OF THE EAST AFRICAN CUSTOMS UNION PURSUANT TO THE PROVISIONS OF ARTICLE 75 OF THE TREATY FOR THE ESTABLISHMENT OF THE EAST AFRICAN COMMUNITY, THE PROVISIONS FOR THE ESTABLISHMENT OF THE EAST AFRICAN CUSTOMS UNION ARE HEREBY SET FORTH: PREAMBLE WHEREAS the Republic of Uganda, the Republic of Kenya and the United Republic of Tanzania (hereinafter referred to as "the Partner States") signed the Treaty for the Establishment of the East African Community (hereinafter referred to as "the Treaty") on the 30th day of November, 1999; AND WHEREAS: (a) under the provisions of Articles 2 and 5 of the Treaty, the Partner States undertake to, inter alia, establish among themselves a customs union, as a transitional stage to, and an integral part of the Community; and (b) under the provisions of paragraph 2 of Article 75 of the Treaty, the Partner States have determined that the establishment of a customs union shall be progressive in the course of a transitional period; AND WHEREAS by the provisions of paragraph 7 of Article 75 of the Treaty, the Partner States agreed to conclude the Protocol on the Establishment of a Customs Union within a period of four years; AND WHEREAS by the provisions of paragraph 1 of Article 151 of the Treaty, the Partner States undertook to conclude such Protocols as may be necessary in each area of co-operation, which shall spell out the objectives and scope of, and institutional mechanisms for co-operation and integration; AND WHEREAS the Partner States, while aware that they have reached different stages of development with each Partner State having a comparative advantage on trade in some commodities, are resolved and determined to reduce 1