According to recent reports, Member States of the East African Community (Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania, Uganda) have agreed on the need to harmonize their countries' tax systems, and have begun negotiations to do so. The harmonization would include the value added tax system of the Member States.

The East African Community was formed via a treaty signed in 1999 that entered into force in 2000, and was expanded in 2007. A customs union was formed in 2005, a common market  was established in 2010, and a monetary union protocol was signed in 2013.