The European Union (EU) has strong cultural and historical links to South Africa (particularly through immigration from the Netherlands, Ireland, Germany, France, and Greece) and the EU is South Africa's biggest investor.
Agreements Since the end of South Africa's apartheid, EU South African relations have flourished and they began a "Strategic Partnership" in 2007. In 1999 the two sides signed a Trade, Development and Cooperation Agreement (TDCA) which entered into force in 2004, with some provisions being applied from 2000. The TDCA covered a wide range of issues from political cooperation, development and the establishment of a free trade area (FTA).South Africa, European External Action Service The liberalisation schedules were completed by 2012.Bilateral relations South Africa, European Commission Since the signing of the Agreement, trade in goods between the two partners has increased by more than 120%, and foreign direct investment has grown five-fold. In March 2025, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen announced that the European Union would invest €4.7 billion ($5 billion) in aid and development projects in South Africa, after the United States ended most of its USAID programs.Africa EU to invest $5bn in South Africa after US aid withdrawal, dw.com
Trade South Africa is the EU's largest trading partner in Southern Africa and has a FTA with the EU. South Africa's main exports to the EU are fuels and mining products (27%), machinery and transport equipment (18%) and other semi-manufactured goods (16%). However they are growing and becoming more diverse. European exports to South Africa are primarily machinery & transport equipment (50%), chemicals (15%) and other semi-machinery (10%).
EU – South Africa trade in 2013 Direction of trade Goods Services Investment stocks EU to South Africa €24.5 billion €7.2 billion €41.8 billion South Africa to EU €15.6 billion €4.5 billion €7.7 billion South Africa's foreign relations with EU member states
Austria Belgium Bulgaria Croatia Cyprus Czech Republic Denmark Estonia Finland France Germany Greece Hungary Ireland Italy Latvia Lithuania Luxembourg Malta Netherlands Poland Portugal Romania Slovakia Slovenia Spain Sweden See also Foreign relations of the European Union Foreign relations of South Africa African, Caribbean and Pacific Group of States General Representation of the Government of Flanders in Pretoria
References
External links EU delegation to South Africa South Africa - European Commission Aid and Development Outlook on Europe: South Africa’s Relations with the European Union Since the End of Apartheid