The EPAs have proven to be very controversial and driven a wedge between most of the SADC countries. This report, complied by EJN, seeks to explain the complex nature of the negotiations and the negative implications it poses on regional integration in the SADC region. South Africa already has a trade agreement with the EU- Trade and Development Cooperation Agreement (TDCA). With time it became apparent that they had overlooked part of the SADC Customs Union (SACU) agreement that states that “no member-state shall negotiate and enter into new preferential trade agreements or amend exist­ing agreements without the consent of other member-states”. It became apparent that South Africa had to join the SACU members.

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