A sort of lasting solution to East African Community`s (EAC) business killer non-tariff barriers (NTBs) is seemingly in sight following constructive intervention by a special tripartite committee to wipe out the quagmire.

The move follows routine but quandary field experiences most of which were recently complemented through implications of the East African Business Council Business Climate Index Survey for 2006-07.

The document so far stands out boldly as a valuable reference providing insights into the perceptions of the East African business community.

Its findings reveal that many firms are frustrated by the fact that NTBs such as corruption are eroding many of the benefits of the pro-investment policies implemented by East African governments over past two decades.

Index further documents that police roadblocks, weighbridge stations, pitiable infrastructure, and access to energy, transport and telecommunications as well as security concerns are all various forms of NTBs.

On several occasions, Kenya has particularly blamed Tanzania\'s harsh immigration procedures for implying a lot of mistrust especially with regard to issuing of work permits and entry of vehicles into Tanzania, something which needs to be handled at the diplomatic level.

Other difficulties as often cited by business community include business registration, standards, bureaucracy at border crossing points, different legislative requirements for the three countries and different application of the rules of origin.

However, in a recent interview, the Confederation of Tanzania Industry (CTI) director of Policy and Research Hussein Kamote said most NTBs in the region were on the wane due to the positive impact of the activities of the tripartite committee on the elimination of NTBs.

Committee works flexibly by allowing traders or their agents to fill in special forms at every transiting point and register any grievances related to NTBs.

The contents of the forms are subsequently forwarded to higher organs of the EAC Secretariat for corrective actions.

The roles of the committee are seen as falling under the auspices of the EAC Tripartite Road Transport Agreement.

The objective of that project was to facilitate and reduce the cost of transport of transit goods in the region through reduction of documentation procedures including costs related to customs, immigration and police checks.

It also finds inspiration in World Bank funded East Africa Trade and Transport Facilitation (EATTF) set up to strengthen transport of transit goods in the region by addressing corridor management issues, customs documentation and training, border post issues and to lay the groundwork for the preparation of a 10-year EAC Roads Development Programme.

In connection with Tanzania`s contemporary economic performance he said a most noteworthy development is the unremitting inflationary spiral which for the fist time since 1996 reached dreadful double digit of 11.8 percent last October.