The EU remains a key strategic region for South Africa and a prominent dialogue partner from the global North.

Relations with the EU are structured in accordance with the Trade, Development and Cooperation Agreement, whereas trade relations are governed by the SADC-EU EPA. The South Africa-EU Strategic Partnership is the only one of its kind that the EU has with an African country, and one of only 10 globally. 

The strategic partnership expanded the scope of the interaction beyond trade issues, to incorporate a much wider scope of cooperation with structured bilateral mechanisms and high-level meetings (summit, ministerial political dialogue, SOM and inter-parliamentary meetings) to support South Africa’s national, regional, continental, and global priorities and programmes. The JCC, co-chaired by the DG of the DIRCO and the EU counterpart, covers over twenty sectoral policy dialogues, including diverse issues such as development cooperation, science and technology, space, migration, health, trade, education and skills development, peace and security, and human rights.

 

The EU is South Africa’s largest trading partner, as a block of 27 member states, and largest foreign investor, representing the majority of total FDI stocks in the country. More than 2 000 EU companies operate in South Africa, creating more than 500 000 direct and indirect jobs.