Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA)

An Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) provides for concessions allowing entry of goods to the respective markets of the parties to the agreement, introduces safeguards to protect their respective markets from injury, brings on board better and flexible rules of origin, and allows for the protection of products known to originate in their countries (what is known as ‘geographical indications’).

Benefits of the EPA

The objectives of the EPA as articulated in Article 1, include:

1. contributing to the reduction of poverty in the region;
2. promoting the integration of the SADC EPA MS into the world economy;
3. promoting regional integration, economic cooperation and good governance, leading to an effective, predictable and transparent regional regulatory framework for trade and investment between the Parties and among the SADC EPA States;
4. improving the capacity of SADC EPA Member States in trade policy and trade-related issues;
5. promoting increased investment and private sector initiatives, enhance supply capacity, competitiveness and economic growth in the participating SADC Member States; and
6. strengthening the existing relations between the parties on the basis of solidarity and mutual interest.

Getting Started with EPA Market Access

The first thing to do in order to access the market under the EU-SADC Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) is to have your business duly recognised and allowed to operate. The steps to achieve this may vary from country to country but in general they include:

1. Registration with the registrar of companies

2. Licensing of intended business operations

3. Registration for purposes of collecting and returning tax

4. Certifying that the business has met its tax obligations

5. Optionally becoming an authorised economic operator

Products Covered by the EPA