The European Parliament sitting in Strasbourg gave the green light on Wednesday 14 September to the economic partnership agreement (EPA) signed on 14 June between the EU and six of the 15 member countries of the South African Development Community (SADC) (see EUROPE 11594).
The EPA has been signed by Botswana, Lesotho, Mozambique, Namibia, Swaziland, and also South Africa, which has been linked to the EU through a bilateral trade, cooperation and development agreement since 1999. Parliament gave its assent to this progressive trade liberalisation agreement, compliant with WTO rules, by 417 votes to 216, with 66 abstentions. The liberalisation timetable is asymmetrical.
Under the terms of the agreement, the African countries will liberalise 86% of their markets (Mozambique 74% only) over ten years, excepting agricultural and fisheries products. In return, the EU will guarantee immediate duty-free, quota-free access to its market for the products of five countries (Botswana, Lesotho, Mozambique, Namibia and Swaziland), with South Africa being granted improved market access.
Through an oral question, Parliament asked the Commission to ensure the guarantee of parliamentary and civil society monitoring of application of the EPA.
For the EPA to come into force, it must be formally approved by the Council and be ratified by the parliaments of the 28 EU member states and of the African states concerned.
Negotiations had started long ago under the Cotonou Agreement – a development partnership agreement to which all six countries are party. (Original version in French by Aminata Niang)