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South Africa

Government moves to protect rooibos in EU — eight years on
27-Mar-2013 Business Day
A French company’s attempt to claim "rooibos" as its own intellectual property has galvanised the South African government into action to protect the term under its talks with Brussels over the EU-South Africa EPA.
New law to deal with compensating foreign investors for expropriation
18-Feb-2013 Business Day
One of the most contentious issues dealt with in a draft new Foreign Investment Bill, which the South African Department of Trade and Industry will present to an interministerial committee in the next few months, will deal with how the South African government will compensate foreign investors in the event of expropriation, deputy director-general of international trade Xavier Carim said on Friday.
India, SA agree for early finalisation of India-SACU PTA negotiations
28-Jan-2013
Union Commerce, Industry and Textiles Minister nand Sharma and Rob Davies, Minister of Trade and Industry of South Africa, reviewed the India- Southern African Custom Union (SACU) Preferential Trade Agreement (PTA) negotiations in Johannesburg today.
South Africa and EU deal a blow for Kenya
28-Jan-2013
An existing trade pact between South Africa and the European Union is presenting a fresh hurdle in negotiations for economic partnership with Kenya.
New statism: what replaces canned investment treaties?
4-Dec-2012 Business Day
What is remarkable about South Africa’s move against the EU is the lack of bilateral consultation before terminating its BITs as much as the proposal, almost novel in international investment law, that all future investment arbitration with SA should be domesticated.
South Africa: BITs in pieces
20-Oct-2012 FT
South Africa has terminated a bilateral investment treaty with Belgium and Luxembourg in the first of a series of planned shreddings of post apartheid-era agreements which are coming up for renewal.
SADC free trade agreement coming soon: Davies
10-Sep-2012
An agreement to lower barriers to trade and improve cross-border commerce in the SADC should be implemented this year, Trade and Industry Minister Rob Davies says.
SA to stay away from bilateral treaties: Davies
2-Aug-2012 Sapa
South Africa will avoid entering into bilateral investment treaties (BITs) in future, except where there are compelling economic and political circumstances, Trade and Industry Minister Rob Davies said on Thursday.
South Africa: What’s in a label?
14-Jun-2012 Al Jazeera
South Africa’s recent demand that products originating in Jewish settlements in the occupied West Bank and Golan Heights remove the label "Made in Israel" is extremely significant - much more so than the European Union’s decision to deny these products preferential status and subject them to customs duty.
S.Africa wants change in import labels, angers Israel
22-May-2012 Reuters
Israeli goods produced in the occupied Palestinian territories and sold in South Africa may no longer be labelled "Made in Israel," the South African trade minister said on Monday, causing concern in Israel that other countries may follow suit.
Free trade bloc planned for Africa
21-May-2012
Plans to create a 26-nation free trade area by integrating three existing African trade blocs by July 2014 are on track and the only major sticking point is likely to be harmonising rules of origin, the three blocs said on Friday.
Davies says intra-African trade is key to SA growth
7-Mar-2012
Strengthening bilateral trade and investment relations with African countries was a key trade and economic strategy for South Africa, Trade and Industry Minister Dr Rob Davies told the sixth Africa Economic Forum in Cape Town this week.
Anand Sharma Leads Indian Delegation at ANC Centenary Meets with his Counterpart Rob Davies
8-Jan-2012
Shri Anand Sharma, Minister for Commerce, Industry and Textiles, is heading the Indian delegation to the Centenary celebrations of the African National Congress (ANC) in the South African city of Mangaung (Bloemfontein) called on Mr. Jacob Zuma, President of the Republic of South Africa and President of the ANC.
SA rejects Turkey’s proposal for a free trade agreement
10-Nov-2011 Business Day
South Africa has rejected Turkey’s proposal for a free trade agreement between the two countries saying that this would encourage "destructive competition that will undermine our industrial and employment objectives".
Tough talk over industrialisation expected for FTA - Davies
5-Nov-2011
As South Africa moves to bolster industrialisation efforts within its own borders, the planned roll out of a giant free trade area across Africa may hit a snag when it comes to negotiating about trade in manufactured goods between member countries, the Minister of Trade and Industry Rob Davies said yesterday.
Africa’s Free Trade Zone: A Pie in the Sky?
5-Nov-2011
African heads of state have ambitious plans to create a free trade zone, encompassing 26 countries and more than 600 million people on the continent. But economic experts warn the project is a bold step that comes with a plethora of legal, administrative and political hurdles. Others suggest the plan might be a pie in the sky.
Ibsa partners boost trade, gird themselves for global crisis
3-Nov-2011
South Africa is achieving significant success in trade with its Ibsa part- ner countries, India and Brazil, President Jacob Zuma highlighted at a press conference in Pretoria last week. (South Africa hosted the fifth Ibsa Dialogue Forum summit on October 17 and 18.)
SA and the EU trade negotiations - A step closer
20-Oct-2011 FM
In negotiations to forge an economic partnership agreement (EPA), the EU has agreed to improve market access for about 80% of the agricultural products South Africa has asked to be accepted. However, the EU has yet to budge on wine, sugar and starch.
South Africa, EU agree to prioritize EU-SADC EPA negotiations
16-Sep-2011 Xinhua
South Africa and the European Union said on Thursday that they will give priority to concluding the EU-Southern African Development Community Economic Partnership Agreement negotiations.
Turkey, South Africa agree to waive visas, draft free trade agreement
22-Aug-2011 Today’s Zaman
Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoğlu shared news of the first steps toward a free trade agreement to be signed between Turkey and South Africa