There was increasing concern
by local producers that the
much-touted ‘open market’
way of trading on the global
stage was being replaced by
rising trade protectionism, said
Minister of Trade and Industry,
Dr Rob Davies.
Addressing delegates at
the 20th African, Caribbean
and Pacific (ACP) ministerial
committee meeting in Brussels,
Belgium last weekend,
Davies said that sanitary and
phytosanitary (SPS) measures
and standards were major
barriers to international trade
and these particularly affected
small, micro and medium
enterprises (SMMEs).
Davies and European Union
(EU) trade commissioner,
Cecilia Malmström, have
agreed on the need to assist
SMMEs to make use of the
market openings created by
the SADC/EU Economic
Partnership Agreement (EPA).
CAPTION: Rob Davies (middle) pictured with dti deputy minister,
Bulelani Magwanishe (right), and SA Ambassador to Belgium,
Luxembourg and the EU, Baso Sangqu (left) at the 20th ACP
Ministerial Committee Meeting.
