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Caribbean


St Kitts and Nevis seeking an extension on EPA deadlines
The St. Kitts-Nevis government remains concerned that it could come out worse off if it starts to implement duty free access for European goods coming into the federation and it is seeking an extension in implementing certain measures under the Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) that it and other Caribbean Forum (CARIFORUM) countries signed with Europe in 2008.
‘No doubts’ in Caribbean forging ahead with EPA says official
A top Caribbean Forum (Cariforum) executive wants to put to rest doubts that region will not be able to capitalise on the opportunities offered by the Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) signed into effect between CARIFORUM and the European Union (EU) since 2008.
EPA official dismisses claims of feet dragging
A top official in charge of Antigua & Barbuda’s implementation of the Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) has struck aside charges that the state has been dragging its feet on giving effect to the pact signed in 2008 with the European Union (EU)
Agreement with Europe begins to kick
A statement credited to Alexander Walford, Policy Officer of the Caribbean-European Union in the European Commission, says that eight Caribbean countries have not implemented tariff cuts on EU goods as required by the Economic Partnership Agreement signed in 2008.
EU, CARIFORUM officials holding talks
A dialogue between European Union (EU) and Caribbean Forum (CARIFORUM) countries began in Dominica on Friday with Europe indicating that in the not too far distance, a new strategy outlining greater cooperation between the two regions could be finalised.
European Commission/CARIFORUM Agreements to Boost Regional Integration
According to a news release from the CARICOM Secretariat, the Caribbean Forum of African Caribbean and Pacific States (CARIFORUM) and the European Commission (EC) on Wednesday (Mar. 28) signed three financial agreements designed to boost the Caribbean Region’s ability to deliver tangible results of integration to its populace.
EU bemoans pace of EPA implementation
The European Union (EU) representative to the region on Thursday pulled no punches as he criticised regional governments and the private sector for moving slowly to give effect to the Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) that was signed more than three years ago.
ACP, LDC sugar suppliers deplore EC’s CAP proposals
The ACP and LDC cane sugar suppliers express their profound concern and dismay at the Commission’s proposals in respect of the elimination of sugar quotas in the context of the CAP reform announced on 12 October 2011.
The view from Europe: Central America, Europe and the Caribbean
Little has been said about how the Caribbean, Central America and eventually almost all of Latin America will in a matter of years be competing directly in Europe, writes David Jessop
"Time out" on the promises of European Union Partnership
In October 2008, when the 15 member countries of CARIFORUM (CF) individually signed a full Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) with the collective European Union (EU) of 27 countries, much was made of the promise of increased benefits to Caribbean countries. Two and half years later, the promise remains unfulfilled.
Panama seeks FTA with Caribbean countries
Panama will attend the Caribbean Investment Forum in Trinidad and Tobago, to offer Caribbean countries like Barbados, Belize and Jamaica free trade agreements negotiations, according to an official source.
Realigning trade alliances
With the demise of the Free Trade Area of the Americas, a realignment of trade alliances is evident in the hemisphere—witness ALBA, Petro Caribe, expanded Mercosur. In the aftermath of the Lome Convention between the European Union and its former colonies of Africa, Caribbean and the Pacific, the age of preferential trade agreements came to an end and the era of reciprocal trade was born.
Regional farmers critical of Caribbean governments
Small farmer organisations from across the Caribbean have criticized regional governments and their bureaucrats for leaving them to “see for themselves” during a period of rising food prices and declining agricultural products.
Business as usual - How free trade agreements jeopardise financial sector reform
In contrast with the current wide-ranging financial reform agenda in the European Union, the EU continues to liberalise a wide range of risky and non-risky financial services in the General Agreement on Trade in Services and other Free Trade Agreements as if the financial crisis never happened. This SOMO briefing paper gives specific examples on how new EU regulations are in contrast with the pre-crisis model that is still being applied in the GATS negotiations, the Cariforum-EU Economic Partnership Agreement and the EU-South Korea FTA.
EPA not so momentous after all, study says
Almost two years after the controversial and sweeping trade pact known as an Economic Partnership Agreement was signed between the European Union and the Caribbean Forum countries, a new study says the impact of the EPA has proved to be, as its proponents claimed, relatively mild.
That EU Cariforum Economic Partnership Agreement
Europe, unlike the Caribbean, is moving forward to establish the bodies and appoint the individuals that will from its perspective manage the implementation of the EU-Caribbean trade agreement.
Verdict still out on trade pact with Europe
A year and a half after Caribbean leaders inked a controversial and sweeping free trade pact with the European Union, concerns are emerging that the region is lagging in accessing some of its benefits
Negotiating from weakness: Review of European agreement needed
“Negotiating from Weakness” is the title of a paper written by Scott Sinclair of the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives. Basically, the paper argues that in current negotiations with the European Union for a Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA), Canada is negotiating from a position of weakness and this “is almost always a recipe for disaster”.
Commentary: After a year of the EPA with Europe: What benefits for the Caribbean?
Even though Caribbean countries and the EU are supposed to be ‘partners’ under the EPA, the EC has denounced the Sugar Protocol causing Caribbean countries to lose their preferential price for sugar; the EC has agreed a new trade regime for bananas with exports from non African, Caribbean and Pacific countries that will decimate what is left of the banana industry in the Caribbean; and come June 20, the EC will renege on an undertaking to the Caribbean rum industry to help finance restructuring and marketing while at the same time reducing tariffs on competing rum from several Latin American countries.