This Trade Brief focuses on two trade agreements: firstly, the trading relationship between the European Union (EU) and the Southern Africa Customs Union (SACU) under the Southern Africa Development Community – European Union Economic Partnership Agreement (SADC-EU EPA) and secondly, the trading relationship between the United Kingdom (UK) under the Southern Africa Customs Union (SACU) and Mozambique SACUM-UK Economic Partnership Agreement (SACUM EPA). The aim is to examine the uptake of tariff rate quotas (TRQs) between the trading partners under both the SADC EPA and SACUM EPA, highlighting the challenges associated with the underutilisation of the TRQs.

Firstly, the Trade Brief provides an overview of the SADC EPA and SACUM EPA. This is followed by a trade profile of the SADC EPA and SACUM EPA countries’ trading relationship, highlighting the importance of the EU and the UK as markets for SACU members and Mozambique. Thirdly, the focus shifts to the utilisation of tariff-rate quotas (TRQs) for the period 2020-2022 by South Africa and the EU, as well as South Africa and the UK’s utilisation of tariff-rate quotas (TRQs) for the period 2021-2022. Reasons for TRQ uptake/underutilisation are also discussed, and a conclusion follows.

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