A research report submitted to the Faculty of Public and Development Management, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, in partial fuJfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Management (in the field of Public and D~velopment Management) . APRIL 1998 / This paper focuses on whether apartheid South Africa's approach to the Southern African Customs Union (SACU) has been hegemonic and whether a democratic South Africa will ensure leadership of SACU member countries to enhance mutual economic development or maintain a hegemonic approach. Institutional r6constitution and democratisation are terms which have recently regained popularity in SACU. Bot.awana, Lesotho, Narni.b.i.a and Swaziland (BLNS) are attempting to develop a programme which would accelerate the process of participatory fairness. South Africa on the other hand is initiating consultative forums between SACU member countries to incorporate popular aspirations and address tensions emanating from a concentration of industry in South Africa. This paper begins by providing a history characterised by hegemonic relationships of the pre-1994 period between South Africa and the BLNS countries, which is followed by a theoretical approach to options for solutions for the regional integration complexities of Southern Africa, referring '!lore specifically to SACU. South Africa's initiative to facilitate participation of member countries, which culminated in the introduction of the Customs Union Task Team (CUTT), received attention. The general discussion of interviews test the theoretical perspective of participative engagement of SACU membership, and provide suggestions towards the future of the customs union. A conclusive analysis and recommendations for further research are presented.

Regional integration is to progress to an advanced and critical stage in SADC. With the launch of the SADC free trade area having taken place successfully in 2008 the next step according to the SADC RISDP is the customs union stage. This stage involves deeper integration as well as more cooperation amongst Member countries and to some extent will involve ceding of sovereignty to a supranational body that will be tasked with the administration of the customs union. With the lack of cooperation that was showed by some SADC countries during the implementation of the SADC FTA one doubts whether SADC countries will indeed cooperate during the customs union phase. Different levels of development, divergent trade policies and overlapping membership into other RECs pose a significant challenge into the formation of a SADC customs union. Looking at the challenges confronting the formation of the SADC customs union it would seem as if it is all gloom and doom. However one lesson picked up in all regional integration initiatives in all regions of the world is that significant challenges will always exist; what is important is that Member countries need to show full commitment and focus on the bigger goal they seek to achieve as the region. SACU the world’s oldest customs union is constituted by SADC Member countries. With the problem of overlapping membership SACU is both an obstacle and a solution for SADC depending on which view one holds. SACU can be seen as an obstacle because if SACU was not there perhaps the problem of overlapping membership would not be the way it is. Currently only one SADC country is not affected by the problem of overlapping into various other RECs. If SACU was not there the number of countries not overlapping would be perhaps six countries. On the other hand one can choose to look at SACU as a solution to the establishment of the SADC customs union under the circumstances that currently prevail in SADC. SACU can be used as a basis for a SADC customs union by having all other SADC Member that are ready to join the customs union accede into SACU and whilst others that are not ready still work on their policies and join latter when they are ready to do so. This is referred to as ‘variable-geometry’; a principle that has been successfully implemented in the EU over the years. However taking a close look at SACU one realises that there is still lot of work to be done within SACU to have SACU ready for expansion. / Dissertation (LLM)--University of Pretoria, 2010. / Centre for Human Rights / unrestricted

No description available.

M.Comm. / The purpose of the dissertation was to determine the appropriateness of forming a monetary union with a common currency within SACU. SACU embodies five neighbouring countries, who are situated in the Southern region of Africa. These countries include: South Africa, Botswana, Namibia, Swaziland and Lesotho. The benefits and costs that might accrue to the SACU region with the formation of a monetary union were highlighted in the study. Past experiences of European and African monetary unions have shown that countries who participate in a monetary union were able to pursue credible and disciplined monetary policies. Fiscal and monetary variables determined how appropriate it is to form a monetary union within SACU. The study analysed the level of convergence of fiscal variables and the comovement of monetary variables using statistical analysis and graphical representations. The analysis was essential in assessing the readiness of the SACU states for the eventual formation of a monetary union. Since countries such as Lesotho, Swaziland and Namibia are small in terms of their respective populations, sizes of their economies, per capita income in comparison to their neighbours such as South Africa and Botswana, the study highlights the fact that regional monetary integration is a useful way of increasing their economic influence and participation in an increasingly globalised world. The study concludes that the formation of a monetary union with a common currency within SACU is feasible and provides some ideas for further studies.

<p>In this study we examine trade patterns between Turkey and 13 member states of the European Union and how these have developed over the time period of 1983 – 2006. To represent the industrial and agricultural goods included in the study we look at the United Nations Standard International Trade Classification (SITC). Following, we investigate internal differences in the EU by selecting four countries each to represent the Northern and Southern countries of the EU. Internal differences were studied in relation to the amount of trade occurring between Turkey and the Northern and Southern countries. The main result is that Turkey is not of great significance for the EU. For Turkey however, the EU is a highly significant trade partner. The observed patterns indicate that trade deepening between Turkey and EU13 has occurred gradually, implying that the Customs Union from 1996 cannot be said to have caused severe differences in the Turkish-EU13 trade relations. For this trade agreement however, no effects on the trade development was directly related to the implementation of the CU. Following, the EU can continue to act as an important partner for future Turkish trade relations. No severe differences are to be expected in the development for trade in goods as free trade already is widely spread within this area. Instead, the major difference of a Turkish entry into the EU will most likely occur when introducing free movement of capital, services and people.</p>

In this study we examine trade patterns between Turkey and 13 member states of the European Union and how these have developed over the time period of 1983 – 2006. To represent the industrial and agricultural goods included in the study we look at the United Nations Standard International Trade Classification (SITC). Following, we investigate internal differences in the EU by selecting four countries each to represent the Northern and Southern countries of the EU. Internal differences were studied in relation to the amount of trade occurring between Turkey and the Northern and Southern countries. The main result is that Turkey is not of great significance for the EU. For Turkey however, the EU is a highly significant trade partner. The observed patterns indicate that trade deepening between Turkey and EU13 has occurred gradually, implying that the Customs Union from 1996 cannot be said to have caused severe differences in the Turkish-EU13 trade relations. For this trade agreement however, no effects on the trade development was directly related to the implementation of the CU. Following, the EU can continue to act as an important partner for future Turkish trade relations. No severe differences are to be expected in the development for trade in goods as free trade already is widely spread within this area. Instead, the major difference of a Turkish entry into the EU will most likely occur when introducing free movement of capital, services and people.

No abstract available. / Thesis (Ph.D.)-University of Natal, Durban, 2001.

The South African Customs Union (SACU) is one of the many regional trade arrangements that litter the African continent. However unlike its counterparts it is unique in terms of the huge disparities between the economic states of its member states. SACU is currently struggling to redefine itself from its historical trimmings as a plumped up South African foreign policy tool to a regional body that caters for the needs of all its member nations. Key to this purported transformation would be how SACU copes with the increased presence of foreign multinational companies within the common market and coupled to this the persistent threat from established South African companies on infant industries within smaller SACU states. This dissertation highlights the potential role of competition policy as a market correcting mechanism within the regional context. It does so by shedding insights as to the workings of competition law, its natural impediments, modifications it would require and the objectives which it can be used to achieve. It considers the current state of competition law within SACU both on the domestic and regional front and compares them with examples found in other regional arrangements. It strives having regard to peculiarities within SACU to draw attention to shortfalls in its current approach to competition issues and makes a case for the modifying the current modus operandi. It proceeds from the viewpoint that without a fortification of SACU current approach to competition issues, the huge lacuna currently existing would deprive the regional body of any true gains to be made from trade liberalisation. It also proposes a regional competition policy as a means of controlling the ever present threat of established South African to infant industries in smaller SACU states and hopes this instrument will have the secondary effect of easing political tensions within the union. It makes an important call that special consideration be given towards smaller SACU states noting the cost and burden of implementing competition policy. It also considers the role competition law plays within a development framework dispelling prevailing conceptions within certain schools that it stunts growth of industries. It factors into its analysis, the ongoing negotiations between the European Union and SADC. It holds these processes as placing a further impetus on SACU nations to consider a movement from the current positive comity form which competition policy takes in the region by declaring it to be a weak form of cooperation and unsuited to effectively managing the new challenges that successfully negotiated EPA’s would place on competition authorities within SACU. Ultimately it proposes that SACU requires a strengthened competition policy to secure the gains from international trade but that more importantly it requires the right form of policy, a policy created in consideration of its history, current tensions, developmental needs, that foresees the potential for harm inherent in the EPA process and a policy that appreciates the burden a generic law might place on its member states. Its solution to the current crisis is a hybrid system incorporating elements of the EC supranational competition directorate and CARICOM special and differential treatment provisions. / Dissertation (LLM)--University of Pretoria, 2010. / Centre for Human Rights / unrestricted

Regional integration continues to be a source of inspiration due to the economic benefits associated with a country belonging to a regional organisation. The African continent is no exception with the Southern African Development Community (SADC) taking note of such cooperation with exceeding attention. Its predecessor, the Southern African Development Co-ordination Conference (SADCC), was formed in 1980 and one of its most important goals was to economically integrate the Southern African region in order to improve the economic situation of its Member States. The transformation of the SADCC to the SADC in 1992 led to a much stronger SADC which was complimented further by the ratification of the SADC Protocol on Trade in 2000 and most importantly by the establishment of the Regional Indicative Strategic Development Plan (RISDP) in 2001 through an Intergovernmental approach. The RISDP is seen as the most effective mechanism by the SADC to fully integrate the SADC effectively and is this study’s unit of analysis, as part of this study’s research strategy which is a case study methodology, under a qualitative research design which has been adopted for this study. However, this study notes that the RISDP is being poorly implemented by SADC Member States, as clearly stated in this study’s aim, and key examples include missing set milestones such as the formation of the SADC Customs Union in 2010. The focus on a customs union is essential as it will increase intraregional trade as this study believes that it will be the catalyst in truly economically integrating the SADC region. / Dissertation (MA)--University of Pretoria, 2019. / Political Sciences / MA / Unrestricted

<p>The EPA&rsquo / s will have an impact on regional integration in Africa, especially in the SADC region. The region has been split between the SADC and ESA EPA configuration therefore impacting on regional integration objectives set out under the SADC Trade Protocol.The EPA&rsquo / s will be concluded separately with six of the sub groupings under the ACP grouping. With the EU-SADC EPA negotiations has come a problem of overlapping of membership of the different regions which has created confusion and conflicts. Members of Southern African Development Cooperation (SADC) did not all enter into the EU-SADC EPA has one. The EU-SADC EPA configuration consists of Angola, Botswana, Lesotho, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa, Swaziland and Tanzania. The rest of the SADC member states are negotiating with the EU-ESA configuration. With South Africa having been allowed into the negotiations, its role should be examined and what it can contribute to the negotiations. Another conflict that has been created is the fact that South Africa has its own bilateral agreement with the EU thus putting stain on the trade relationship between South African and the rest of the SADC countries.</p>