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CARICOM

Caribbean Community

Region Cautious on Free Trade with Canada
3-Apr-2009
Two years ago, newly elected Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper acknowledged his country’s neglect of the Caribbean in recent years.
Deputy Prime Minister Voices Concerns Over Free Trade Agreement with Canada
25-Mar-2009 JIS
Jamaica’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade, Hon. Dr. Kenneth Baugh, has expressed concerns about the upcoming free trade agreement to be signed between Canada and CARICOM.
Is negotiating a Free Trade Agreement with Canada a priority at this time?
23-Mar-2009
Caricom negotiations with Canada on a Free Trade Agreement (FTA) have been proceeding since 2007. At their summit in Belize on March 12-13, Caricom Heads approved a ‘Negotiating Brief’ with the proviso that it may need to be re-examined in the context of the global economic situation. It sounds like they wish to keep their options open.
Ramphal warns against ’devaluing goals’ of CSME
29-Jan-2009
Sir Shridath Ramphal has warned against the danger of "devaluing the goals" of the Caricom Single Market and Economy (CSME) and is urging the region’s decision makers to avoid a course that could only be "to our peril" at a time of enormous economic challenges.
Dominican Republic no longer interested in joining CARICOM
16-Dec-2008 Fresh Plaza
The country has no faith in CARICOM’s ability to either address pending agreements or to be the implementing authority for the CARIFORUM/EU Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA)
Canada-CARICOM trade agreement ‘sideswiped by EPA’
8-Dec-2008 Kaieteur News
Canadian High Commissioner, Charles Court, has said that the Canada-CARICOM Foreign Trade Agreement (FTA) process has been sideswiped by the Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA).
CSME on slow march
30-Nov-2008
There are growing concerns, regionwide, that the Caricom Single Market and Economy (CSME) project may be in serious danger of not being realised as planned for 2015. It is currently on a slow march.
Value of mandatory review in Joint Declaration on EPA
2-Nov-2008
Coinciding with the signing in Barbados on October 15 of the Economic Partnership Agreement between the European Union and the CARIFORUM countries (Caricom plus the Dominican Republic) was a Joint Declaration that resulted from an initiative by Guyana as a compromise for its decision to also be a signatory to the accord. Professor Norman Girvan examines "the significance" of this mandatory review as provided for in the Joint Declaration.
What next after EPA?
19-Oct-2008
Finally, the on-and-off official signing ceremony for a full Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) between the Caribbean and the European Union (EU) is over.
An ominous week
11-Sep-2008 Starbroek News
To the man in the street, it seems that the EPA, and the debate on it, have split Caricom governments, and that the prospects for their arriving at some harmonious agreement at this week’s Caricom meeting are not good.
EPA signing postponed
2-Sep-2008 Radio Jamaica
Today’s signing of the Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) between CARICOM countries and Europe is officially off.
Caribbean integration and global Europe: Implications of the EPA for the CSME
22-Aug-2008 Norman Girvan
This paper critically assesses the compatibility of the CARIFORUM-EC EPA with the proposed CARICOM Single Market and Economy—CSME. The main conclusion is that the CSME, a project for the creation/strengthening of the regional economy for engagement with globalisation, will be superseded by the EPA, which involves a high degree of bilateral integration of individual Cariforum countries with Europe in trade, investment and regulatory policies.
Backing out
22-Aug-2008 The Nation
Barbados Prime Minister David Thompson has called for an urgent meeting of the CARICOM heads of government ahead of the scheduled September 2 signing of the Economic Partnership Agreement.
Caricom hopes to renegotiate EPA
13-Aug-2008 Jamaica Observer
Caribbean Community (Caricom) countries will sign the Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) with Europe on September 2 as planned, but they are still hoping to renegotiate the deal afterwards, Caricom Chairman Baldwin Spencer has said.
’Bad deal’
9-Aug-2008
They failed us! That’s what governments, intellectuals and trade unions in CARIFORUM (CARICOM and the Dominican Republic) who negotiated the Economic Partnership Agreement with the European Union did to this region, says James Paul, of the Barbados Agricultural Society.
CARICOM and Canada to hold trade talks
9-Aug-2008
Negotiations for a new trade agreement between the Caribbean and Canada should start in October.
PM embraces reservations about EPA
29-Jul-2008
Prime Minister Baldwin Spencer indicated that there are still lingering questions over whether Caricom countries will all sign on to the European Union-Cariforum Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) next month, though he has maintained his personal support for the idea of moving forward with the agreement.
Caribbean urged to renegotiate EPA
28-Jul-2008
A former chief negotiator for the region said it is not too late for Caribbean Community (Caricom) countries to pull out of the Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) with Europe.
ALBA, Petrocaribe and Caricom: Issues in a new dynamic
16-Jul-2008 Norman Girvan
The growth of relations between several Caricom states and the Venezuelan-promoted ALBA and Petrocaribe initiatives is one of the most significant recent developments in regional affairs. An immediate issue that has arisen is whether membership of ALBA might conflict with the obligations of membership of Caricom itself. There are also larger issues of a strategic nature for Caricom.
Saga of deal with Europe
14-Jul-2008 Jamaica Observer
While the majority of Caricom governments have signalled readiness to sign the EPA, reservations remain strong enough. Meanwhile, conflicting signals keep coming out of Brussels.