Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/1999-10-05-Speech-2-129"

Predicate	Value (sorted: default)
rdf:type	lpv_eu:Speech2
dcterms:Date	"1999-10-05"^^xsd:date2
dcterms:Is Part Of	lp_eu:EC-South Africa trade, development and cooperation agreement2
dcterms:Language	"nl"^^xsd:language2
lpv:document identification number	"en.19991005.8.2-129"2
lpv:hasSubsequent	lp_eu:1999-10-05-Speech-2-1302
lpv:speaker	lp:Bas Belder2
lpv:spokenAs	member; EDD (1999-07-20--2004-07-19)3 unknown; Staatkundig Gereformeerde Partij - Gereformeerd Politiek Verbond - Reformatorisch Politieke Federatie (1999-07-20--2002-03-17)3 member; Committee on Foreign Affairs, Human Rights, Common Security and Defence Policy (1999-07-21--2002-01-14)3 vice-chair; Delegation for relations with the United States (1999-07-22--2002-01-14)3 substitute; Committee on Industry, External Trade, Research and Energy (1999-07-21--2002-01-14)3
lpv:translated text	"Mr President, whilst we recognise the valuable aspects of the agreement as regards trade, development and cooperation between the European Community and the Republic of South Africa, it has raised some critical questions in our minds, as it has in that of Mrs Kinnock, relating to suggestions to be addressed to the Commission and the Council. Firstly, trade relations between the European Union and South Africa are characterised by a pronounced dependency. The latter depends to a very large extent on the former both in terms of its imports (33%) and its exports (40%). This is certainly not the case the other way around. So why then are we not allowing South African products full access to the European market? In this way, the good intentions the Member States had towards South Africa as a developing country in 1994 are evaporating. Secondly, an assessment of the Lomé Agreement in 1996 demonstrated that asymmetrical liberalisation of trade is not exclusively to the advantage of developing countries. This is because such asymmetry stops them learning how to compete against world prices. To what extent does this drawback apply to South African products too? Thirdly, we strongly recommend that the agreement between the European Union and South Africa should not be to the detriment of Pretoria’s excellent regional trade relations. If good rules of origin are applied, then South Africa’s partners in the SADC and SACU ought to be able to benefit from the trade agreement too. Following on from Mrs Kinnock’s sharp observation that the European Union has “sought to hold South Africa hostage to its own subsidised farmers”, my fourth point is that failing to include the wines and spirits sectors in the agreement was a downright omission. What will the damage to the European market actually be as a result? On a final note: EU development policy towards South Africa will yield little fruit while Europe is not prepared to make sacrifices to this end. In the recent past, work in the field of development cooperation has been placing increasing emphasis on development by integration into the world market, and rightly so in our view. However, this trade agreement contains certain elements that will impede South Africa’s integration into the world market. All in all, European self-interest appears once again to rule the day."@en1

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