East African leaders have decided to put a regional trade teal with the European Union on hold, Tanzania’s government-owned Daily News paper reports.

At an East African Community meeting in the Tanzanian city of Dar es Salaam on Thursday they decided to defer approving the deal for three months.

This is because of concerns raised by Tanzania and Uganda.

According to Africanews, Kenya and Rwanda have already signed the deal but their signatures will not take effect until all EAC members are agreed.

Europe had been pushing the free trade pact to be signed 1 October 2016, the Daily News says.

“The EU should wait until January when we shall convene again so that we give a collective answer rather than giving fragmented ones,’’ Uganda’s President Yoweri Muzeni is quoted as saying.