September 2010
The TPU facilitates national consultations on CARICOM-Canada negotiations in St. Vincent &the Grenadines
The national consultations were held from September 30th to October 1st to assist St. Vincent and the Grenadines to prepare its national position on matters being negotiated in the CARICOM- Canada Agreement. The Trade Policy Unit was part of the team of facilitators which provided technical guidance to stakeholders in St. Vincent and the Grenadines on matters such as the implications of the agreement for the country, development assistance needs and the preparation of market access offers for goods and services. The new agreement will set out the conditions under which OECS manufacturers, farmers and service providers will trade with Canada.
Second Regional trade facilitation consultation successfully concluded in Saint Lucia
The Trade Policy Unit convened a regional consultation on trade facilitation during 21-24thSeptember. The consultation was targeted at senior customs officials and trade facilitation experts. In order to ensure coherence and coordination development partners and officials exchanged information on the implementation of trade facilitation programmes at the national and regional levels. Participants received an update on the ongoing CARICOM – Canada negotiations, examined the text being negotiated in the WTO and discussed the trade facilitation obligations under the CARIFORUM-EC EPA. The UNCTAD Trade Facilitation Cluster Development study which seeks to identify and simplify trade procedures in Member States was launched. The consultation ended with a tour of Port Castries. The conclusions and recommendations of the consultation will be used by OECS Geneva Mission and the Trade Policy Unit in their technical assistance and capacity building work in trade facilitation.
Trade Facilitation is about simplifying, standardizing and harmonising procedures involved in international trade transactions in order to reduce costs and time and increase transparency and predictability. The consultation was funded by UNCTAD.
The CSME Trade and Competitiveness Project continues work in Grenada and Saint Lucia
Staff of The CSME Trade and Competitiveness Project which is in part managed by the Trade Policy Unit participated in a focus group with the National Youth Council in Saint Lucia on September 3rd as part of the Project’s work on improving information flows on the CSME in that country.
On September 17th the Project Manager participated in a review of studies undertaken by the Project of Grenada’s legal regime and administrative practices which impact on the movement of goods, services, people, capital and the right to establish and business . The reports identified legislation and practices that are inconsistent with the Revised Treaty of Chaguaramas which established the CARICOM Single Market and Economy. Stakeholders from the public, private sector and civil society participated in the review. The recommendations of these reports will be used to prepare technical assistance programmes for Grenada.
The CSME Trade and Competitiveness Project is funded by CIDA and seeks to streamline and harmonise procedures in order to help people to benefit from the CSME.
The next issue of UpDate will treat with regional and international trade issues.
Email contact: tpu@oecs.org
An Update from the OECS Trade Policy Unit on Trade Matters of Importance to the Sub Region
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