... govt requests SA to soften stance on EPA

MBABANE – Government requests South Africa and the EU to soften their positions regarding the Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA), as the current impasse was placing smaller countries in a difficult position.

Speaking during the Sugar Conference 2009 held at Royal Villas yesterday, Prime Minister Dr. Sibusiso Barnabas Dlamini said they were hoping that, just like the agreement between South Africa and the European Union (EU), trade with the EU under the EPA would grow strong.

He noted that all signatories of the interim EPA were members of the World Trade Organi-sation (WTO), whose rules did not allow for non-reciprocal trade agreements.
“This has been our relationship with the EU.

It is the case that some elements of this reciprocity seem to be the concern of our biggest partner within SACU, despite the EU having made concessions in the negotiations for safeguarding the SACU Common External Tariff. In short, it is our hope that, as with the Trade Development and Cooperation Agreement (TDCA) signed by SA and the EU 10 years ago, trade with the EU will grow strong with the EPA,” he said.

Dlamini continued; “While we recognise that the EU has already made efforts to align the tariff structures under the EPA and TDCA, we do urge them, as well as SA, to make every effort to soften their positions and pave a way to a ‘win-win’ rather than the ‘zero sum’ position. This is particularly so because the current impasse is placing smaller countries like Swaziland in a hugely difficult position regarding choice.”