Adopted in 1979 by an agreement on agricultural, artisanal and unprocessed handicrafts and extended to industrial products in 1990, the ECOWAS Trade Liberalization Scheme (ETLS) is the main framework for trade and market integration of ECOWAS, since it deals with protocols on the free movement of goods, people and transport. The main objective of the ETLS for the consolidation of the free trade area is led by the National Authorisation Committees which inform the Member States. To this end, ECOWAS has created an etls website to facilitate harmonization and use[1]. In this context, ECOWAS has implemented a Customs and Connectivity Programme aimed at simplifying the exchange of goods in the region. The ECOWAS Common External Tariff has therefore been operational since 2015.
