CAPE TOWN: South Africa’s Minister of Trade and Industry and Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries met with the ambassador of the European Union (EU), Dr Marcus Cornaro, to discuss bilateral trade relations.
The meeting took place in the context of the entry into force of the Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) between the EU and the Southern African Development Community (SADC) EPA group in October 2016.
Trade and Industry Minister Rob Davies and Agriculture Minister Senzeni Zokwana agreed that the EPA marks the strengthening of investment relations between South Africa and the European Union.
The relevance of the EPA was emphasised in the 2017 State of the Nation Address (SONA) that was delivered by President Jacob Zuma. Cornaro said the EU is of the view that the crisis is caused more by the structural challenges affecting the poultry sector rather than EU imports.
He also expressed the EU’s support for the restructuring of the industry. He said exports of South African poultry to the EU are an opportunity which should be pursued.
The meeting recognized the crisis in the poultry industry as being complex and thus offered a platform to exchange views on the challenges faced by the industry, which includes structural and competitiveness issues, as well as increased imports.
Cornaro said the EU is of the view that the crisis is caused more by the structural challenges affecting the poultry sector rather than EU imports.
He also expressed the EU’s support for the restructuring of the industry. He said exports of South African poultry to the EU are an opportunity which should be pursued.
