South Africa has signed numerous agreements with its trading partners in recent years. The country is also a beneficiary of a number of non-reciprocal trade agreements, including the African Growth and Opportunity Act and the Generalized System of Preferences. The EPO is helping to improve the business climate between partners by providing a stable and forward-looking framework for businesses in South Africa and across Southern Africa. It helps to promote bilateral and regional trade, thus offering new opportunities to achieve the objectives of the strategic partnership between South Africa and the EU. Since the EU and South Africa concluded a Trade Development and Cooperation Agreement (TDCA) in 1999, the two sides have enjoyed a strong and growing trade relationship. South Africa already signed a major free trade agreement with the European Union in 1999. This agreement not only had a lasting impact on South Africa itself, but it also prepared the necessary conditions for the EU (and EFTA) to work towards getting African countries to sign further liberalisation of trade and investment policies over the next decade, notably through the EU-ACP EPA negotiation process. Below is a list of existing trade agreements signed by South Africa. Describes the bilateral and multilateral trade agreements in which this country participates, including with the United States. Contains websites and other resources for U.S.
companies to get more information on how to use these agreements.