admina senior European envoy said yesterday.
This was a decline from about US$860 million a year earlier largely due to Zimbabwe’s poor agriculture season and the eurozone crisis, EU Ambassador to Zimbabwe Mr Aldo Dell’Ariccia said.
Ambassador Dell’Ariccia was addressing delegates who attended the EU seminar to familiarise Zimbabwean businesses on its Export Help Desk, a free internet site that gives information on how to export to Europe, from product-specific duties to import tariffs and trade statistics.
“(The session) is response to the logic and process to support Zimbabwe’s private sector and the country in general,” he said.
EU is Zimbabwe’s second largest trading partner after South Africa. Zimbabwe exports to the EU include agricultural products, copper, diamonds, granite and leather while imports from the 27 member bloc include cars, transport equipment, machinery, chemical and some luxury goods.
The EU is the world’s largest single market, with more than 500 consumers. Zimbabwe enjoys preferential conditions to export to the EU that significantly reduce, or in some instances totally remove the import duties to be paid when entering the market.
Ambassador Dell’Ariccia said with the ratification of the interim Economic Partnership Agreement, Zimbabwe exports to EU would continue to enjoy the privileged duty-free and quota-free access.
Madagascar, Seychelles, Mauritius and Zimbabwe signed the EPA with the EU in August 2009. The deal was a stepping stone towards a full and comprehensive EPA that continues to be negotiated and remains open to other Africa countries.
The agreement provides for safeguard clauses and an additional safety net that allows countries to take measures to protect their industries and strategic sectors, such as food security and rural development.
It would also facilitate access to EU technology and investment as well as access to technical assistance and capacity building in areas such as trade and private sector development. In addition, the agreement will promote the diversification of value-added exports to the EU.
Ambassador Dell’Ariccia also commended progress made on “political re-engagement” with Zimbabwe saying “we hope and trust this (relationship) will normalise after the elections” because the bloc “recognises the amazing recovery of Zimbabwe” under the coalition Government.
The relations between Zimbabwe and the EU soured in the last decade after the Government embarked on its land reform programme to address the colonial imbalances.
Online Reporter