Issued by: Department of Foreign Affairs
JOINT MEDIA STATEMENT ON SA-EU TRADE AND DEVELOPMENT NEGOTIATIONS
On 22 and 23 May 1997, representatives of the Republic of South Africa and the European Commission held a new round of technical discussions in Brussels, on the proposed bilateral agreement for trade and development between South Africa and the European Union. This follows on South Africa's entry as a qualified member of the Lome Convention.
Discussions focused this time on two groups of issues: economic co-operation and co-operation in the social and cultural areas. On both groups of issues, detailed discussions resulted in a large s to be covered in the future agreement and the main objectives to be pursued in each of them.
As regards economic co-operation, the future agreement should provide for co-operation in the following areas : industrial development, investment promotion and protection, the promotion of small, medium and micro enterprises, agriculture, consumer policy, the information society and related technologies, transport, fisheries, energy and mining. In all of these areas co-operation should help address the specific challenges faced by the South African economy and promote closer co-operation between South Africa and the neighbouring countrieture agreement should also provide for enhanced co-operation in the field of environmental protection, the development of human resources and the health sector. It would also cover social co-operation, information, culture, the media, as well as the fight against drugs. It is recalled that a specific bilateral agreement on science and technology was signed between South Africa and the European Union in December 1996.
Negotiators confirmed that the next round of talks to be held in the latter part of June 1997 would focus on the trade component of the bilateral agreement. This will be the last session before the ministerial meeting planned for mid July at which the progress will be assessed and the envisaged programme for the second half of the year considered.
ISSUED BY THE DEPARTMENT OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS PRETORIA 26 MAY 1997