Africa Trade competitiveness and Market access The intra Africa trade has remained very low over the years notwithstanding the effort consented to boost it. Trade competitiveness has been impeded by non-tariff barriers (NTBs), including Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT) and sanitary and phyto-sanitary (SPS) measures, stemming in particular from the lack of standards harmonization and from the inefficient quality infrastructure. Within different Regional Economic Communities, many African countries face challenges of variations in standards and standards implementation. These divergences make formal cross-border trade contentious and expensive.The action will have two main pillars. First, the programme will help the African countries to benefit from trade opportunities by being able to conform with standards and technical regulations, which requires establishing efficient testing, certification and accreditation mechanisms that conform to the requirements of the SPS and TBT Agreements and enjoy international recognition. Second, in order to maximise SMEs export potential and support them to enter new markets, the action will also address other market access constraints or enablers: enhance value addition and export capacities through marketing, labelling, branding strategies, technology transfer and processing for export, business promotion through market linkages, capacitate trade and investment support institutions. Support will be provided both at institutional and policy level (looking at the existing agreements that set the regulatory framework in Africa on this matters - AfCFTA, RECs regulations, national regulations and bilateral agreements with the EU), as well as at private sector level, with a primary focus on selected key export-oriented regional priority value chains.&nbsp;Particular focus on intra-African exports as well as exports to the European Union will be given, so regions can fully exploit their trade-driven growth potential, with a view to contribute to sustainable growth and jobs creation.The proposed programme will be developed through several regional components, building on existing or previous regional programmes (WACOMP in West Africa, MARKUP in East Africa, PIQAC in Central Africa, RECAMP and RISP in Southern Africa). This action aims to connect all these components, and maximise their coherence and joint impact with a common view to contribute to the AfCFTA and economic integration.Having a single framework action, with several geographic components, will ensure a structured approach and coherence between the different components of the action.This action will primarily contribute to SDG 8 (Promote inclusive and sustainable economic growth, employment and decent work for all) as well as to SDG 9 (Build resilient infrastructure, promote sustainable industrialisation and foster innovation) and SDG 12 (Responsible Consumption and Production).&nbsp;