An independent private sector body called the Business Trade Forum EU Southern Africa (BTFES) has been formed. The BTFES wishes to establish a new kind of dialogue between the business communities and the political leaders in the EU and SADC.
The BTFES met in Gaborone in parallel to the EU SADC Senior Officials Meeting on EPA Negotia-tions. - The BTFES considers the establishment of the Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) between EU and SADC a key priority and would like to bring the input and expertise of the private sector to help address the challenges confronting these negotiations, future trade relations and the development of business between the two regions.
The successful completion of the negotiations is crucial for business. Priority areas for the Forum are: Agricultural Market Access, Industrial Market Access, Trade Facilitation, Services and Sustainable Economic Development and Implementation and Monitoring of the EPA. - The Forum recognises the impact of the EPA on the private sector and seeks to develop an effective working relationship with negotiators from both the EU and SADC inorder to expedite the speedy conclusion of the negotiations.