bilaterals.org logo
bilaterals.org logo

CARICOM

Caribbean Community


‘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.
Caricom advised to end economic partnership with Europe
Caricom leaders have failed, as a group, to press European countries for reparations for the slave trade, social commentator Dr Radcliffe Robbins said yesterday. As a result, he recommends that member states abandon the Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) signed in 2008 with Europe.
Let the people speak
A quite amazing event took place in Kenya’s capital, Nairobi, on August 29 and 30. Two hundred representatives of non-governmental organisations (NGOs) from China and 19 African countries held a China-Africa People’s Forum.
Costa Rica, Jamaica move forward on trade deal
Jamaica and Costa Rica are attempting to press forward with the formal implementation of a seven-year-old-free trade agreement signed in 2004 between Costa Rica and the Caribbean Community (CARICOM).
Gov’t to Fully Implement Free Trade Agreement with Costa Rica
The Government has signaled its intention to sign off on the full implementation of the CARICOM/Costa Rica Free Trade Agreement soon.
"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.
The private sector transparency and the EPA
Sometimes it seems as if officials are engaged in a game that involves having those they are most meant to help, guess about their intentions
PM: Caricom too slow in accessing preferential trading pacts
Prime Minister Bruce Golding has criticised the public and private sectors within Caricom for contributing to the region’s lagging development status by not taking advantage of existing preferential trading arrangements.
Trade agreement with Canada a main focus for CARICOM Council meeting
During the upcoming 32nd Meeting of the Caribbean Community’s (CARICOM) Council for Trade and Economic Development (COTED) in Georgetown, Guyana, the packed agenda will include updates with respect to on-going negotiations with Canada
WTO to force 50% Bahamas tariff reduction
A CARICOM trade specialist warned yesterday that the revenue losses the Bahamas will suffer from signing on to the Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) with Europe will be little compared to the "much more significant impact" that will be felt from new free trade deals with the US and Canada.
CARICOM Says Speed Up CSME Process
A meeting of regional private sector officials has ended in Grenada with a call for Caricom to speed-up the rate at which free movement of goods and services are implemented.
Canada to scrutinize Caribbean labor, environment standards
A planned trade deal between Canada and the 15-nation Caribbean Community (Caricom) will increase scrutiny on the organization’s enforcement of labor and environmental laws, Canada said Tuesday.
Brazilian president calls for FTA between Mercosur, CARICOM
Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva on Monday called for a free trade agreement between the four-member bloc Mercosur and the Caribbean Community (CARICOM).
Agricultural body raises concern about new CARICOM-Canada agreement
The Barbados Agricultural Society is closely watching the ongoing negotiations for the new Canada-CARICOM trade and development agreement, as it is concerned about the potential devastating impact that such an agreement can have on the regional and local pork industries.
Whatever happened to the EPA?
Remember the Economic Partnership Agreement signed in Barbados in October 2008? Despite the huge regional controversy that ensued after it was agreed, it is now almost impossible to find anything in the public domain about its present status, despite the fact that some of the deadlines for implementation have already passed.
Caribbean: Closer ties with Latin America jolted by EU banana deal
As the European Union gets ready to sign an agreement with Latin America to end a 16-year trade war over bananas, Caribbean Community (Caricom) countries are expressing their frustration at the perceived double standards of the Latin Americans leaders.
Barbados - Former PM urges CARICOM to strike better deals with Canada
Former Barbados Prime Minister Owen Arthur has cautioned Caribbean Community (CARICOM) governments that any trade and economic agreement reached with Canada must be "better than what we got from Europe".
CARICOM considers removing obstacles for free trade in produce
CARICOM Agriculture Ministers have begun their latest meeting in Georgetown, Guyana and are seemingly no closer to removing stubborn obstacles to the free trade of produce.
The Caribbean EPA affair: Lessons for the progressive movement
This paper discusses lessons for the regional progressive movement of the 2007-2008 campaign of Caricom civil society to secure public review and government renegotiation of the CARIFORUM-EU EPA
EPA lessons and Canadian FTA
Lessons from the EU-Caribbean FTA negotiating process in view of a possible Canada-CARICOM FTA, by Norman Girvan