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Articles on Trade with the European Union
03 August 2008 - David Jessop
Set in a park with views across Lake Geneva to the snow capped Alps, the elegant 1920s building that houses the World Trade Organisation is an unlikely, almost surreal setting for the intense multi-dimensional power play over global trade that ended suddenly last Tuesday afternoon (July28).
There in surroundings more suited to academic endeavour, Trade Ministers from around the world had spent nine days arguing about texts that may eventually restructure the relative economic power and influence of nations as diverse as the United States, Switzerland, Jamaica and China.
Set in a park with views across Lake Geneva to the snow capped Alps, the elegant 1920s building that houses the World Trade Organisation is an unlikely, almost surreal setting for the intense multi-dimensional power play over global trade that ended suddenly last Tuesday afternoon (July28).
There in surroundings more suited to academic endeavour, Trade Ministers from around the world had spent nine days arguing about texts that may eventually restructure the relative economic power and influence of nations as diverse as the United States, Switzerland, Jamaica and China.
The United Kingdom is encouraging “timely signing” and implementation of the Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) to secure the trading relationship between the European Union and Caricom and the Dominican Republic.
Meanwhile, ministers who attended the July 15-16 Sixth UK-Caribbean Ministerial Forum in London also noted that the future climate change agreement should take account of the increasing pressures on standing forests. This has been a key demand of Guyana as it seeks to offer the services of its forests in the battle against climate change.
Meanwhile, ministers who attended the July 15-16 Sixth UK-Caribbean Ministerial Forum in London also noted that the future climate change agreement should take account of the increasing pressures on standing forests. This has been a key demand of Guyana as it seeks to offer the services of its forests in the battle against climate change.
17 June 2008 - David Jessop
A week or so ago a very interesting commentary appeared in the prominent Argentinean newspaper, La Nacion. Under the headline ‘Goodbye to Washington’ Professor Juan Gabriel Tokatlián argued that for the first time in recent history a confluence of circumstances had created conditions that might enable Latin nations to reduce their subordination to the United States.
He suggested that a number of structural trends were facilitating a process that could lead to what he described as a ‘serene distancing from Washington’, a more balanced hemispheric relationship and greater autonomy for South American nations to develop their own international policies. Far from worrying about US disinterest, he argued, Latin countries should be pleased that this enables them to consider freely options to transform their relationships.
A week or so ago a very interesting commentary appeared in the prominent Argentinean newspaper, La Nacion. Under the headline ‘Goodbye to Washington’ Professor Juan Gabriel Tokatlián argued that for the first time in recent history a confluence of circumstances had created conditions that might enable Latin nations to reduce their subordination to the United States.
He suggested that a number of structural trends were facilitating a process that could lead to what he described as a ‘serene distancing from Washington’, a more balanced hemispheric relationship and greater autonomy for South American nations to develop their own international policies. Far from worrying about US disinterest, he argued, Latin countries should be pleased that this enables them to consider freely options to transform their relationships.
02 May 2008 - David Jessop
Around the world the biggest airlines are reducing services, increasing fares, levying surcharges and abandoning destinations as the cost of fuel continues to rise. This suggests that for a geographically fragmented and tourism dependent region such as the Caribbean, the potential for a new economic crisis is large.
Over the last twelve months the costs of aviation fuel has risen by ninety per cent and is still increasing. As a consequence, the airlines on which the region depends for access to the wider world and to feed visitors into the region’s all important tourism industry are in the process of making cuts that will see by the year end a dramatic fall in services to and through the region.
Unlike many tourist destinations in Europe or North America where the majority of visitors arrive by road and by rail, the Caribbean depends on those who come by air to provide ninety five per cent of the GDP that is earned by the Caribbean tourism sector (estimated at US$40 billion in 2008 by the World Travel and Tourism Council). This is in contrast to those who come by sea who leave almost all of what they spend with the cruise ships on which they travel rather than the destinations they visit.
Around the world the biggest airlines are reducing services, increasing fares, levying surcharges and abandoning destinations as the cost of fuel continues to rise. This suggests that for a geographically fragmented and tourism dependent region such as the Caribbean, the potential for a new economic crisis is large.
Over the last twelve months the costs of aviation fuel has risen by ninety per cent and is still increasing. As a consequence, the airlines on which the region depends for access to the wider world and to feed visitors into the region’s all important tourism industry are in the process of making cuts that will see by the year end a dramatic fall in services to and through the region.
Unlike many tourist destinations in Europe or North America where the majority of visitors arrive by road and by rail, the Caribbean depends on those who come by air to provide ninety five per cent of the GDP that is earned by the Caribbean tourism sector (estimated at US$40 billion in 2008 by the World Travel and Tourism Council). This is in contrast to those who come by sea who leave almost all of what they spend with the cruise ships on which they travel rather than the destinations they visit.
27 May 2008 - David Jessop
In the early hours of May 17 it became apparent that the Dominican Republic’s President, Leonel Fernandez, had won an outright victory in the first round of his nation’s Presidential race, taking 53 per cent of the popular vote against the 41 per cent of his main rival, Miguel Vargas.
In doing so President Fernandez secured a second consecutive term in office, an achievement only matched previously by the late President Joaquin Balaguer who served eight terms in all.
Although President from 1996 to 2000, President Fernandez had been barred as the incumbent from standing again in 2000 by a 1994 constitutional amendment. However, following a change in the constitution in 2002, he was able this time to seek a second four year term.
In the past, the electoral process and the politics of the Dominican Republic, their outcome and implications have been seen as being of little interest in the English speaking Caribbean. This is because of a sense across Caricom that whatever happened to its populous neighbour –latest estimates suggest it has some 9.4m people - it was unlikely to touch the rest of the region.
In the early hours of May 17 it became apparent that the Dominican Republic’s President, Leonel Fernandez, had won an outright victory in the first round of his nation’s Presidential race, taking 53 per cent of the popular vote against the 41 per cent of his main rival, Miguel Vargas.
In doing so President Fernandez secured a second consecutive term in office, an achievement only matched previously by the late President Joaquin Balaguer who served eight terms in all.
Although President from 1996 to 2000, President Fernandez had been barred as the incumbent from standing again in 2000 by a 1994 constitutional amendment. However, following a change in the constitution in 2002, he was able this time to seek a second four year term.
In the past, the electoral process and the politics of the Dominican Republic, their outcome and implications have been seen as being of little interest in the English speaking Caribbean. This is because of a sense across Caricom that whatever happened to its populous neighbour –latest estimates suggest it has some 9.4m people - it was unlikely to touch the rest of the region.
09 May 2008 - David Jessop
On May 4, Jamaica’s Prime Minister, Bruce Golding, plus the island’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Kenneth Baugh and its Ministers of Tourism, Agriculture, Housing and Health all travelled to Havana. There, as befits a relationship between two friendly neighbouring Caribbean nations, they were met at the very highest levels of the Cuban Government and Party.
However, this was no routine event. It was of unusual significance to both countries both in its substance and its implications and conveyed important messages about change in both Jamaica and Cuba.
In contrast to episodes when the relationship between Cuba and Jamaica has been politicised, on this visit the Jamaican Government sought to find pragmatic and economically viable ways to develop a much closer social and economic relationship with its largest regional neighbour on the basis of identifying areas of practical co-operation.
On May 4, Jamaica’s Prime Minister, Bruce Golding, plus the island’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Kenneth Baugh and its Ministers of Tourism, Agriculture, Housing and Health all travelled to Havana. There, as befits a relationship between two friendly neighbouring Caribbean nations, they were met at the very highest levels of the Cuban Government and Party.
However, this was no routine event. It was of unusual significance to both countries both in its substance and its implications and conveyed important messages about change in both Jamaica and Cuba.
In contrast to episodes when the relationship between Cuba and Jamaica has been politicised, on this visit the Jamaican Government sought to find pragmatic and economically viable ways to develop a much closer social and economic relationship with its largest regional neighbour on the basis of identifying areas of practical co-operation.
02 May 2008 - David Jessop
‘International NGO knocks EPA’; ‘Caribbean EPA held up as a model’; ‘Bernal departs Caribbean Regional Negotiating Machinery’: so read just three of the many thousands of headlines that accompany the hundreds of thousands of words about the Caribbean’s soon to be signed Economic Partnership Agreement with Europe.
They reflect an increasingly bitter divide over the benefits and failings of what has been negotiated as well as providing an opportunity for long held political, academic and personal animosities to be deployed in a very public way. Some of the comment is important and reflects legitimate concerns about issues ranging from the broader implications of the EPA’s MFN provisions and future relations with other developing countries to, for instance, the shortness for some of the agreed period of entry into Europe for Caribbean musicians and entertainers.
However, at its extremes, it is far from edifying and does the Caribbean an international disservice, raising serious question about who in future can be said to speak with authority for the region and who will want to negotiate for or with the region. It also begs the question as to whether any mechanism can be structured that can ever reflect the desires of a disparate group of nations and individuals that seem in some cases less than willing to endorse decisions in which they participated and which were agreed at the very highest levels.
17 December 2007 - caribbeannetnews.com - Kevin Costelloe
BRUSSELS, Belgium (Bloomberg): A group of Caribbean nations including Jamaica, Barbados and the Dominican Republic gained access for their exports to the European Union under an accord reached between the two sides.
A "full" Economic Partnership Agreement has been agreed, the European Commission, the EU's executive body in Brussels, said in an e-mailed statement on Sunday.
"The agreement yesterday guarantees and extends access for the Caribbean countries' exports to the EU," the statement said. The full pact includes "trade in goods, trade in services, rules on trade-related issues as well as development cooperation."
17 December 2007 - Rickey Singh
BRIDGETOWN, Barbados - Effective January 1, 2008 all exports in goods (with the temporary exception of rice and sugar) and services originating from within the Cariforum group will be entitled to duty-free and quota-free access in Europe.
This follows the conclusion of the first-ever Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) with the European Union (EU) between the Caribbean's team of negotiators and their European counterparts.
After three-and-a-half years of arduous and intense negotiations, which opened in Jamaica in April 2004, both sides completed their massive task around 1:30 yesterday morning at the Hilton Hotel here.
The sleepy-eyed, exhausted negotiators emerged to report the good news the entire Cariforum group of countries (Caricom and the Dominican Republic) had been waiting for.
One of the major sticking points in the negotiations on services - non-discriminatory access with respect to the region's culture industries, including the performing arts and writers - was also overcome with a commitment offered by 25 of the EU's 27 member states.
16 December 2007 - www.cdc.bb.com
Regional countries have reached agreement with the European Union on a new Economic Partnership Agreement, just days before the December 31 deadline.
Representatives of CARIFORUM (CARICOM and Dominican Republic) and the EU inked the deal in Bridgetown on Sunday. The new agreement replaces the Cotonou Agreement which expires at year-end.
After two full days of talks that ended in the early hours of Sunday morning, representatives from both sides concluded discussions after settling the issue of the Caribbean's access to Europe's entertainment services market.
"This is a very, very difficult concession for Europe. It allows musical performers and artistes to move into Europe to present their talent and to seize business opportunities. This is a novelty that was very difficult to achieve," said Deputy Director General for Trade of the EU Commission, Karl Falkenberg, who signed the document for the EU.
Caribbean trade officials also agreed that agreement on the issue was a major breakthrough.