We represented a local industry organisation in the first ever safeguard investigation brought in terms of a free trade agreement in any jurisdiction. Free trade agreement safeguard measures allow parties of these treaties to deviate from the preferential treaty under these treaties where this treatment is harming or threatening to harm the local industry.
We have also represented clients in several World Trade Organisation (WTO) safeguard investigations. WTO based safeguard investigations are conducted where a sudden and unexpected surge in imports harms, or threatens to harm, the Southern African Customs Union (SACU) industry. In such instances, WTO members are permitted to impose a variety of emergency measures to protect the local industry. These measures are temporary and are designed to allow a local industry time to adjust and prepare themselves to compete with imports without safeguard measures.
