SADCEU EPA AN OPPORTUNITY JORGE PEYDRO AZNAR DELEGATION

SADC-EU EPA: AN OPPORTUNITY JORGE PEYDRO AZNAR DELEGATION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION TO SOUTH AFRICA

THREE SIMPLE MESSAGES Ø WE ARE FRIENDS, NOT FOES Ø WE SHARE IMPORTANT CHALLENGES Ø EPA: A SOLUTION, NOT A PROBLEM

ACP-EU: FRIENDS AND PARTNERS Ø POLITICALLY: ONE OF THE OLDEST AND CLOSEST RELATIONSHIPS (1963 YAOUNDE) Ø ECONOMICALLY: Nr. 1 TRADE AND INVESTMENT PARTNER Ø TRADE: BEST TREATMENT IN THE EU Ø DEVELOPMENT COOPERATION: FULLY ENGAGED PARTNER

WE SHARE THE CHALLENGES Ø ACP-EU CHALLENGE: - Ø EROSION OF PREFERENCE WTO REQUIRED RECIPROCITY COMPREHENSIVE APPROACH SA-EU CHALLENGE: - PROCESS OF REVISION OF THE TDCA Ø SADC-SA-EU CHALLENGE: - CONFIGURATION REMAINS AN ISSUE

EPA: A SOLUTION Ø AS PART OF THE SOLUTION, THE EU IS READY TO: FULLY ENGAGE TO MEET THE DEADLINE OFFER SPECIAL AND DIFFERENTIAL TREATMENT MERGE THE TDCA-EPA PROCESSES PROVIDE SUPPORT Ø AS PARTNERS, THE SADC EPA COUNTRIES AND SA ARE AN EQUALLY ESSENTIAL PART OF THE SOLUTION Ø IN PARTICULAR, THE EU IS CONFIDENT THAT SA WILL PLAY A KEY ROLE OFFERING: CONSTRUCTIVE AND PROACTIVE PARTICIPATION COMPREHENSIVE AND FORWARD LOOKING APPROACH PRAGMATIC STAND

THREE SIMPLE CONCLUSIONS + WE REMAIN FRIENDS AND PARTNERS: - LOOKING FOR A WIN-WIN SOLUTION + WE FACE THE CHALLENGES TOGETHER: - AND SHARE THE RESPOSIBILITY OF THE OUTCOME + EPA IS AN OPPORTUNITY: - BLAME GAMES DO NOT HELP IN OUR CHALLENGES LET’S WORK ON SOLUTIONS, IT IS POSSIBLE

THANK YOU VERY MUCH!