House Chairperson, hon members, it is a source of pride that I'm able to stand here today to witness the final step in the South African process of the parliamentary ratification of the negotiated free trade agreement between the Southern African Customs Union, Sacu - including South Africa - and the European Free Trade Association, Efta.
It is a source of pride because it marks an important milestone for South Africa and the immediate region in our evolving trade policy. This is an achievement that has several important dimensions. It is historic because it is the first full free trade agreement that the Sacu region has negotiated as a single entity, drawing together South Africa with Botswana, Lesotho, Namibia and Swaziland.
We've made an advance in importing a Sacu common trade policy as is envisaged in the Sacu agreement we concluded in 2004. It is testimony to the ability of the Sacu member states who are able to co-ordinate their negotiating positions, overcome differences and pursue a common set of negotiating objectives.
The Sacu-Efta agreement will establish a legal and institutional framework to conduct and manage trade relations between the parties. A joint committee is established to oversee the implementation of the agreement and address any trade problems that may arise.
The agreement contains a dispute settlement procedure to resolve any difficulty that cannot be solved under the joint committee. The agreement has a review clause through which we will endeavour in three to five years to explore ways to extend and deepen the arrangement.
Let me outline the overall process of the negotiations. Efta members informally approached South Africa in 1999 on the margins of the WTO ministerial meeting in Seattle, to propose the idea of launching negotiations. This was followed by an approach in November 2000 where the Efta secretary-general, during a visit to the Minister of Trade and Industry, proposed that South Africa formally enter into free trade negotiations with Efta.
Following a series of technical exchanges, negotiations were launched directly in May 2003. Part of the delay for the launch was that Efta needed to revise its original mandate to negotiate with South Africa to conclude with all Sacu countries, following the conclusion of the new Sacu agreement in 2004. Seven negotiating sessions were held and negotiations concluded in August 2005.
In conclusion, I should indicate that the agreement has been reviewed and endorsed by our business and labour stakeholders in Nedlac. Cabinet recommended that the agreement be forwarded to Parliament on 24 October 2006. We all aim to have the agreement entered into force in January 2007.
We therefore humbly request support from this House for the ratification of the Sacu-Efta agreement. I thank you.
Debate concluded.