7 October 2021: Joint Communique from the first meeting of the CARIFORUM-UK Trade and Development Committee
Published 20 October 2021
皇冠体育app first meeting of the CARIFORUM-UK Economic Partnership Agreement鈥檚 (EPA) Trade and Development Committee took place via videoconference on 7 October 2021.
皇冠体育app meeting, chaired by CARIFORUM, was attended by representatives from:
- Antigua and Barbuda
- Barbados
- Belize
- 皇冠体育app Commonwealth of the Bahamas
- 皇冠体育app Commonwealth of Dominica
- 皇冠体育app Dominican Republic
- Grenada
- 皇冠体育app Republic of Guyana
- Haiti
- Jamaica
- Saint Christopher and Nevis
- Saint Lucia
- Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
- 皇冠体育app Republic of Suriname
- 皇冠体育app Republic of Trinidad and Tobago
- 皇冠体育app United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
皇冠体育app parties noted with satisfaction that the EPA had secured continuity of a trading relationship worth 拢2.9 billion in 2020. 皇冠体育app parties expressed their desire to further develop sustainable and inclusive trade underpinned by the EPA.
皇冠体育app United Kingdom and CARIFORUM States discussed matters of joint interest under the Agreement including tariff liberalisation, trade in goods and services, and Geographical Indications. Views were exchanged on the United Kingdom鈥檚 provision of development assistance under the EPA. 皇冠体育app meeting was also an opportunity for both parties to provide updates on relevant trade policy developments in the United Kingdom and in the Caribbean region, and to reaffirm their desire for a prompt ratification of the EPA by all parties.
In preparation for the Joint Council, the Trade and Development Committee reviewed Rules of Procedure for the Trade and Development Committee, the Joint Council, and the Special Committees under the EPA.
皇冠体育app parties agreed to continue to work towards the effective implementation and operation of the Agreement and agreed to hold further meetings of the Joint Institutions on mutually agreed dates.