CARICOM To Hold Talks On EU Trade Deal

by Amanda Banks, Tax-News.com, London

11 May 2011

During an important upcoming round of talks, members of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) are to discuss the implementation of the CARIFORUM-EU Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA), which aims at establishing a trade relationship which promotes the gradual integration of the CARIFORUM countries into the world economy.

CARICOM has confirmed that the EPA is to feature heavily in discussions at the upcoming Meeting of the Council for Trade and Economic Development (COTED), to be held from May 16. A meeting of senior officials is scheduled for May 16-17, to be followed by a key Ministerial Meeting from May 19-20.

According to CARICIOM, the following will be considered:

• Recent activities of the EPA Implementation Unit of the CARICOM Secretariat and its work plan for the near future;
• The introduction by member states of the Initial Tariff Reduction provided for under the EPA, which was scheduled for January 1, 2011; and
• The convening of the First Meeting of the Trade and Development Committee under the EPA from June 9-10, 2011, the provisional agenda of which the COTED will be invited to discuss.

Commenting on the talks, CARICOM adviser Branford Isaacs said: “it is an important and timely opportunity for Member States to take stock of and advance on a range of EPA implementation and related matters, ahead of several high-level meetings due to be convened over the next two months.”

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