10 November 2021: Joint Communiqué from the first meeting of the SACUM-UK EPA Trade and Development Committee
Updated 14 July 2023
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The Senior Officials from the Southern African Customs Union Member States (Botswana, Eswatini, Lesotho, Namibia and South Africa) and Mozambique and the United Kingdom (UK) held the first meeting of the Trade and Development Committee under the SACUM-UK Economic Partnership Agreement (SACUM-UK EPA) via videoconference on the 10th November 2021.
The Parties acknowledged the smooth transition to the SACUM-UK EPA following its entry into force on the 1st January 2021 and shared information on the state of play in their respective trade relations with third parties. This included matters in the WTO and the upcoming Twelfth Ministerial Conference (MC12), progress on the implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Area, update on the EU-SADC EPA review process, the outcomes of COP26 and the essential relationship between climate and trade.
The Parties provided information on the public availability of relevant legislation and business guidance and the UK shared updated Points of Contact.
The Parties agreed on an approach to develop the Rules of Procedure for the Institutions established under the Agreement as well as the appointment of arbitrators in preparation for the first meeting of the Joint Council. They further agreed to exchange views on the issues to be considered by the Special Committees on Trade Facilitation and Customs Cooperation; Geographical Indications and Trade in Wine and Spirits; and the Agricultural Partnership to facilitate the convening of the first meetings of these Special Committees.
The Parties acknowledged the importance of time-bound commitments provided for under the Agreement, including in relation to the review of regional cumulation; developing work programmes on Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS) and Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT) Matters; and the scope and volume under the automatic derogations. The Parties also provided information on their respective tariff rate quota usage and administration.
The UK provided an update on its development cooperation to support the effective implementation of the Agreement, reaffirming its commitment to greater regional and bilateral trade.
The Parties agreed to hold the first meeting of the Joint Council by September 2022, which will be preceded by meetings of the Trade and Development Committee.
Ms. Kungo Mabogo, Communications Manager, SACU Secretariat, Email: info@sacu.int
Mr. Assane Ibraimo, Head of Communications, Ministry of Industry and Trade, Mozambique, Email: assaneibraimo14@gmail.com
Department for International Trade, UK, Email: tradeagreementimplementation@trade.gov.uk