THE European Union has given Swaziland an estimated US $1,3-million as part of a regional initiative to help the country deal with the economic impact of a South Africa-EU trade agreement signed earlier this year. Economist Pierre Bide of the EU in Swaziland said on Wednesday: “The idea is help Swaziland cope with any fall out or effects from the South Africa – EU free trade agreement. We want to help build economic capacity in that country.” He said one of the effects will be the loss of revenue derived from trade taxation, which accounts for an estimated 50% of total government revenue. “The agreement between South Africa and the EU seeks to liberalise 80% of all trade between the two, making all EU goods coming in to South Africa duty free and to some extent much cheaper. This could, and possibly will, see the tax collected by the Swazi government on imported goods decline.”