Despite ongoing efforts toward integration, both tariff and non-tariff barriers continue to frustrate trade within the East African Community. Recent actions such as Tanzania’s industrial development levy on EAC imports and Kenya’s restrictions on Ugandan milk stand in violation of established regional trade protocols, undermining economic cooperation. The EAC Secretariat estimates that Non-Tariff Barriers (NTBs) have cost the bloc approximately $10.3 billion, with the agriculture and manufacturing sectors bearing the brunt resulting in lost productivity, constrained trade flows, and rising poverty. To restore confidence among traders and policymakers, First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for EAC Affairs Rebecca Alitwala Kadaga noted that the EAC Council is pushing for deeper integration. Proposed measures include harmonizing tax systems, enhancing fiscal transparency, and aligning national fiscal policies with regional objectives to overcome delays in reform implementation.