ISDS Case Map
SADC
Southern Africa Development Cooperation
This was the first time the EU triggered a bilateral dispute settlement mechanism under one of its EPAs – and as such, the EU challenged the legal basis and compliance of the measure with the EU-SADC EPA on a number of grounds.
Under the regional trade deal, the EU entirely removed tariffs and quotas on any imports from Botswana, Lesotho, Mozambique, Namibia, and Eswatini, and almost entirely lifted duties on South African exports,
Kenya which is among the 49 member states that have ratified the agreement, lacks product competitiveness due to quality challenges, high trade investment and trade costs.
The draft ministerial regulation states that goods produced in SEZs shall be treated as originating goods provided they satisfy the rules of origin, member states are yet to agree on import duties being paid on the inputs of these products.
The Southern African Development Community has operationalised the Protocol on Trade in Services after 11 countries of the 16-member bloc including Zimbabwe ratified the pact.
The preparations for the negotiations of the Investment Protocol under the AfCFTA agreement (The Agreement) are already underway though still in the early stages.
Southern African countries have rattled the European Union by indicating they might reopen negotiations on a major new, long-range framework for relations between Europe and developing countries that has already been accepted by all sides.
The European Union's (EU) Farm-to-Fork Strategy is set to be implemented in 2022 and will come with an additional layer of regulations.
Rwanda and Mozambique have signed an agreement that will boost their economic development through trade and investment activities.
Zimbabwe and Malawi are engaged in talks to revise their Bilateral Trade Agreement to ensure its provisions speak to a modern-day investor and assist in addressing pressing development needs of the two countries.
