Paul Kruger, a tralac Researcher, comments on efforts to lock South Africa into the SADC EPA

It seems as if the EU Commission is now keener than ever to lock South Africa into the SADC EPA.

Last week, Europe’s top agriculture official, Mariann Fischer Boel attended the World Meat Congress in Cape Town. Also on her agenda was a meeting with the Minister of Agriculture and Land Affairs, Lulu Xingwana, and Deputy Minister of Trade and Industry, Rob Davies; apparently in an effort to widen the trade possibilities with South Africa by emphasising the benefits of closer cooperation in the EPA negotiations.

This follows the more accommodating stance of the EU in the recently held EU – South Africa summit where its commitment was confirmed ‘to bridge the prevailing differences and reach an outcome that is balanced and beneficial for all parties’. The parties furthermore agree to enhance investment in the energy, ICT and transport industries of Africa.

It appears the negotiating climate between South Africa and the EU has improved to such a degree that the EU is prepared to forfeit some of its earlier demands. This stands in contrast with a recent comment by the Deputy Director-General of Trade for the European Commission, Karl Friedrich Falkenburg who stated that a deal only on trade in goods with Guyana is not possible since it is not a developmental friendly solution.

These raises the following questions:

The revision of the SACU market access offer is almost complete – but does this mean that South Africa will only be a party to the trade in goods chapter of the EPA?

South Africa is evidently eager to increase investment in certain services sectors. If services are however not addressed in the ongoing EPA negotiations, how will this be achieved?

Will it be possible for the other SACU Member States to implement the EPA without South Africa?