The European Union (EU) expects to ratify the Southern African Development Community (SADC) Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) - that was signed last month with Botswana, Lesotho, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa and Swaziland – by September this year.
“We also have indications from the Minister of Trade and Industry, Dr Rob Davies, that South Africa expects to ratify the agreement from its side by September/October,” ambassador Marcus Cornaro, head of the EU Delegation to South Africa, told FTW Online yesterday.
Speaking on the side lines of a workshop on the EU-South Africa Strategic Partnership, Cornaro also issued assurances that Britain’s exit from the EU would not affect the ratification of the EPA in any way.
“The new partnership includes better trading terms for South Africa mainly in agriculture, agro-processing and fisheries, including wine, sugar, fisheries products, flowers and canned fruits,” he said, adding that the EPA also allowed the EU “meaningful new market access” into Southern African Customs Union (Sacu) products – including wheat, barley, cheese, meat products and butter..
He pointed out that last year, SA's exports to the EU had increased by 9%. “This compensates for losses in exports towards other countries and weak demand in China.”
Cornaro pointed out that the strength of SA's exports to the EU was that the vast majority of such exports were made up of manufactured and agricultural goods (from citrus to catalysers, cars and aircraft parts).
