This study was commissioned by the Southern Africa Development Community (SADC) Secretariat at a critical stage in the Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) negotiations between eight SADC countries and the European Union (EU). The World Trade Organization (WTO) waiver that sustains the African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) group’s
current market access to the EU expires at the end of 2007, the date by which it was envisaged a successor
trade regime would be in place. Like other agreements with a trade component, EPAs are highly detailed and
complex. Considerable progress has been made by the eight SADC states in reaching an agreed negotiating
position with the EU and this position has evolved during the course of the study. The process however, has yet to be finalised. This study provides technical support to the process of finalising defensive and offensive negotiating positions for SADC countries entering into EPAs with the EU as well as an understanding their potential economic and revenue effects.