The Agreement on Trade, Development and Cooperation between the European Community and its Member States, of the one part, and South Africa, of the other part, (the "TDCA"), was signed in Pretoria on 11 October 1999, and concluded on 26 April 2004. On 17 November 2006 the Council authorised the Commission to negotiate with South Africa an Agreement between the EC and its Member States, and South Africa amending the TDCA. These negotiations have been concluded to the satisfaction of the Commission. Subject to its possible conclusion at a later stage, it is proposed that the Agreement amending the TDCA should now be signed on behalf of the EC and its Member States.
The main amendments to the TDCA are as follows:
Multilateral disarmament and non-proliferation treaty system: since it is important that progress is made in the implementation of all the obligations deriving from this system, the Parties have included a clause in the agreement, which will allow them to cooperate and to have a political dialogue on these issues.
Respect for democratic principles and fundamental human rights as laid down in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, and for the principles of the rule of law, as well as cooperating on issues of disarmament and the non-proliferation of weapons of mass destruction underpin the internal and international policies of the EU and South Africa and constitute essential elements of the agreement.
There are new provisions in the TDCA on: