On 11 October 2016, the Official Journal published a notice announcing that the European Union and the Republic of Botswana, the Kingdom of Lesotho, the Republic of Namibia, the Republic of South Africa and the Kingdom of Swaziland have notified the completion of the procedures necessary for the provisional application of the Economic Partnership Agreement between the European Union and its Member States, of the one part, and the SADC EPA States, of the other part, in accordance with Article 113 of that Agreement. Consequently, the Agreement applies provisionally as from 10 October 2016 between the European Union and the Republic of Botswana, the Kingdom of Lesotho, the Republic of Namibia, the Republic of South Africa and the Kingdom of Swaziland. By virtue of Article 3(2) of Council Decision (EU) 2016/1623 on the signing and provisional application of the Agreement, Article 12(4) shall not be provisionally applied. On 10 October 2016, for products originating in Botswana, Namibia and Swaziland, pursuant to Article 5 of Council Regulation (EU) 2016/1076, Protocol 1 of the Agreement concerning the definition of the concept of ‘originating products’ will supersede the provisions contained in Annex II of the said Regulation.
