OECS trade experts meet in Dominica this week to discuss tariff liberalization.  The two day meeting scheduled for September 12 and 13 hopes to harmonize tariff liberalization offers that member states will be making in the CARIFORUM-EU negotiations. CARIFORUM-EU EPA negotiations are aimed at the drafting of a free trade agreement which will redefine the trading regime between the European Union (EU) and the CARIFORUM countries.. 

The intention of such an agreement is to remove barriers to trade between the parties. These barriers can take the form of tariffs imposed on imported items at the ports or quotas among other measures. Consequently trade officials from each OECS member state will discuss their proposed lists of products imported from the EU that they wish to exclude from tariff liberalization and those to be subject to phased tariff reductions.

Head of the Trade Policy Unit at the OECS Secretariat, Virginia Paul, explains that this meeting is extremely important.  She says it provides the opportunity for the OECS to discuss national offers, identify areas where members need help in concluding their offers and then finalize the OECS offer for market access in goods. With a view to arriving at a harmonized list of products to be excluded from tariff lib and items to be phased overtime.

According to Ms. Paul, arriving at consensus on these issues has been very challenging, especially in the context of the fast approaching year end deadline for finalizing matters relating to the EPA. However, she adds, it is important for the sub region to devise and consolidate a common OECS approach on these trade matters which will further inform its position in the broader CARICOM and CARIFORUM settings. The finalized OECS market access offer will be discussed further and incorporated into the Meeting of CARIFORUM Senior Officials on EPA Negotiations scheduled for September 19 - 20.

The OECS Trade Policy Unit was established at the OECS secretariat in 2003 to assist Member States to implement trade policies and negotiate trade rules and arrangements by providing technical advice, information, advocacy and training. A major objective of the Unit is to increase understanding and awareness of trade policy issues in the OECS. Technical support for the two day meeting will be provided by the Hub and Spokes Project which is managed by the Commonwealth Secretariat within the Caribbean. The project is funded by the EU. It is designed to promote the effective participation of African and Caribbean states in international trade negotiations and re-enforce their capacity to formulate and implement trade policies consistent with their overall development strategies.

Note: The fifteen member CARIFORUM states comprise the independent CARICOM member states and the Dominican Republic.