Ecowas Comission: Protocol of Free Movement (Right of Entry, Residence and Establishment)

•ECOWAS Treaty

  Adopted on May 28th 1975 and revised in 1993.

ARTICLE 59 IMMIGRATION

1 . Citizens of  the community shall have the right of entry, residence and establishment and Member States undertake to recognize these rights of Community citizens in their territories in accordance with the provisions of  the Protocols  relating thereto. 

2.  Member States undertake to adopt all appropriate measures to ensure that Community citizens enjoy fully the rights referred to in paragraph 1 of this Article. 

3.  Member ' States undertake to adopt, at national level, all measures necessary for the effective implementation of the provisions of this Article.

•Protocol relating to the Free Movement of Persons Residence and Establishment

–Core Principles

•Entry 

•Residence

•Establishment

–First phase: Free Movement

•Travel without Visa – Passport and Health Certificate (Yellow Card)

•90 days limit

•Entry restrictions for « inadmissible migrants »

•Guarantees in case of expulsion

 •Second Phase: Supplementary Protocol on the Right of Residence (July 1st, 1986) 

 •Income earning employment 

•Apply for jobs effectively offered 

•Taking up a job according to national provisions 

•Remain in the country according to national provisions after ending the job 

•Residence Permit 

•Expulsion

 •Third Phase: Supplementary Protocol on the Right of Establishment (May 29th, 1990) 

–Access to non-salaried activities 

–Creation and Management of enterprises and companies 

–Principle of non-discrimination 

 Above are highlights of the the functions of the Ecowas Treaty signed in 1975 (if it was ever functional), please if you are citizen of one of the member states, and you wish to travel either by air, land or sea to another member state, IT IS YOUR RIGHT to be allowed free passage without any form of payment or protocol other than the routine border checks and a stamp on your International passport to attest to that. It is your right to refuse any form of payment of which NO official receipt is issued. The member states:  

Republic of Benin, Burkina Fasso, Cape Verde, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Liberia, Mali, Nigeria, Senegal, Sierra Leone and Togo. 

HELP STOP CORRUPTION AT THESE BORDERS, GET YOURSELF INFORMED! To

know more about ECOWAS follow thi link : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Economic_Community_of_West_African_States#Current_members