Trade ministers from the United Kingdom (UK), Southern African Customs Union (Sacu) and Mozambique have committed to continue to work together towards a post-Brexit economic partnership agreement (EPA).
This in order to ensure continuity in the trade relationship between all three parties once the Southern African Development Community (SADC)-European Union (EU) EPA no longer applies to the UK.
The three entities released a joint statement following a meeting in Cape Town which noted that significant progress had been made by officials in discussions on a future UK-Sacu-Mozambique EPA that would replicate the effects of the existing SADC-EU EPA.
“We have confirmed that we will be in a position to ensure than an agreement can be in place between the UK, Sacu and Mozambique as soon as the SADC-EU no longer applies to the UK,” the statement read.
“This confirmation, and the future UK, Sacu and Mozambique EPA, are without prejudice to the terms of the SADC-EU EPA.”
The joint statement also noted that steps were being taken to ensure the replicated agreement could be in place immediately upon the UK’s withdrawal from the EU in March 2019 in the event no agreement is reached between the EU and the UK.
“Our EPA will form the core basis of our future economic and development relationship,” the statement read.
“We recognised that some issues have been identified that will require consideration after the UK’s withdrawal from the EU in March 2019 and therefore direct our officials to prepare a built-in agenda on those outstanding issues for expeditious conclusion.”
