India-SACU Preferential
Trade Agreement (PTA)
negotiations
- South African Customs Union (SACU), with a common Custom Tariff Policy,
comprises of South Africa, Lesotho, Swaziland, Botswana and Namibia. During
the sixth session of the India-South Africa Joint Ministerial Commission
Meeting held in New Delhi on 5-6 December 2005 both sides agreed that a
comprehensive Free Trade Agreement within a reasonable time, and in the
interim, a limited scope agreement providing for exchange of tariff
concessions on select list of products between India and SACU would give
further impetus to bilateral trade and urged for its early conclusion.
- Accordingly, India-SACU PTA is being negotiated and so far four rounds
of have been held. First round of technical discussions for India-SACU PTA
took place in Pretoria on 5th–6th October, 2007,
second round of PTA negotiations at Walvis Bay, Namibia on 21-22 Feb., 2008,
3rd
round at New Delhi on 25th–27th November, 2008 and 4th round of
negotiations was held in Pretoria on 7-8, October, 2009.
- During 3rd round of negotiations a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), a
framework mechanism to facilitate negotiations , was also signed on 26th
November, 2008 by the representatives of India and SACU.
- During 4th round of negotiations India submitted to SACU its
initial tariff preference request list and also provided draft SPS & TBT
texts to SACU for consideration. The two sides also discussed text of
agreement, including annexure relating to safeguard measures and dispute
settlement.