The TDCA establishes preferential trade arrangements between the EU and South Africa, with the progressive introduction of a Free Trade Area (FTA).

14. Urges the Commission not to insist on including elements in the revised TDCA which would hamper South African economic development or the struggle for poverty alleviation, not to interfere in South Africa's decisions regarding the participation of the private sector in the provision of basic services and to draw lessons from the failure of the SACU-US free-trade negotiations, in which the USA tried to impose unacceptable conditions on SACU;

It will lead after transition periods of 10 years (for EU imports from South Africa) and 12 years (for South Africa imports from the EU) to a Free Trade Area and cover around 90% of bilateral trade.

14. Urges the Commission not to insist on including in the revised TDCA elements which would hamper South African economic development or the struggle for poverty alleviation, not to interfere in South Africa's decisions regarding the participation of the private sector in the provision of basic services and to draw lessons from the failure of the SACU-US free trade negotiations, in which the USA tried to impose unacceptable conditions on SACU;

The TDCA establishes preferential trade arrangements between the EU and South Africa, with the progressive introduction of a Free Trade Area (FTA).

It would have been unforgivable if, when South Africa has dismantled that odious regime, when the South Africans have made history and shown an example by bringing about an admirable reconciliation, successfully overcoming the always difficult transition from a civil war and a dictatorship, the transition from having the profile of a freedom movement to the establishment of a pluralist, democratic and constitutional State, it would have been scandalous if, when the South Africans have not betrayed our trust in their conduct, we Europeans were not able to rise to the occasion and were to betray the trust which South Africa has put in us.