Examining SA's Trade Policy for 2012

The author critiques South Africa's reliance on politically driven preferential trade agreements (PTAs) with developing nations, noting that agreements like the SACU-Mercosur PTA lack efficacy. The text advocates for a strategic re-evaluation of trade in services, the simplification of SADC rules of origin via the Tripartite FTA, and a compromise in Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) negotiations with the EU to protect market access for SADC partners. Additionally, it highlights the importance of the US AGOA dispensation and the Automotive Production and Development Programme (APDP) in establishing South Africa as a regional motor manufacturing hub.

• South Africa's pursuit of preferential trade agreements (PTAs) with 'south' countries appears to be driven by political imperatives rather than economic ones, with the Trade Policy Strategic Framework (TPSF) itself casting doubt on the efficacy of the SACU-Mercosur PTA.
• The Tripartite FTA (TFTA) offers opportunities to expand market access and enhance South Africa's investment footprint in Africa, but it is hindered by the delayed negotiation of trade in services and overly complex SADC rules of origin that act as trade barriers.
• A stalemate in Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) negotiations with the EU by the 2014 deadline could lead to disastrous consequences for Botswana and Namibia due to the loss of EU market access.
• The combination of the US Africa Growth and Opportunities Act (AGOA) and the domestic Automotive Production and Development Programme (APDP) has helped establish South Africa as a motor industry manufacturing hub within Africa.

APA

South African Institute of International Affairs (2012). Examining SA's Trade Policy for 2012. https://saiia.org.za/research/examining-sas-trade-policy-for-2012/

Chicago

South African Institute of International Affairs. Examining SA's Trade Policy for 2012. 2012. https://saiia.org.za/research/examining-sas-trade-policy-for-2012/.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=South African Institute of International Affairs |title=Examining SA's Trade Policy for 2012 |date=1 June 2012 |url=https://saiia.org.za/research/examining-sas-trade-policy-for-2012/ |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{southafricaninstituteofinternationalaffairs2012examining, author = {{South African Institute of International Affairs}}, title = {{Examining SA's Trade Policy for 2012}}, institution = {South African Institute of International Affairs}, year = {2012}, month = jun, url = {https://saiia.org.za/research/examining-sas-trade-policy-for-2012/}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }