3 (j) “Continental Customs Union” means the Customs Union at the continental level by means of adopting a common external tariff, as provided by the Treaty Establishing the African Economic Community of 1991; (k) “Council of Ministers” means the Council of African Ministers of State Parties responsible for Trade; (l) “Dispute Settlement Body” means the body established to administer the provisions of the Protocol on Rules and Procedures on the Settlement of Disputes except as otherwise provided in this Agreement; (m) “Executive Council” means the Executive Council of Ministers of the Union; (n) “GATS” means the WTO General Agreement on Trade in Services of 1994; (o) “GATT” means the WTO General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade of 1994; (p) “Instrument” unless otherwise specified in this Agreement refers to Protocol, Annex or Appendix; (q) “Member States” means the Member States of the African Union; (r) “Non-Tariff Barriers” means barriers that impede trade through mechanisms other than the imposition of tariffs; (s) “Protocol” means an instrument attached to this Agreement, which forms an integral part of the Agreement; (t) “RECs” means the Regional Economic Communities recognised by the African Union, namely, the Arab Maghreb Union (UMA); the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA); the Community of Sahel-Saharan States (CEN-SAD); the East African Community (EAC); the Economic Community of Central African States (ECCAS); the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS); the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) and the Southern African Development Community (SADC); (u) “Secretariat” means the Secretariat established pursuant to Article 13 of this Agreement; (v) ‘‘State Party’’ means a Member State that has ratified or acceded to this Agreement and for which the Agreement is in force;