The Caribbean Forum of African, Caribbean, and Pacific States (CARIFORUM) and the United Kingdom (UK) have reiterated their commitment to fully implementing and ratifying the Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) signed in 2021.
This commitment was reaffirmed during the inaugural meeting of the CARIFORUM-UK Technical Sub-Committee on Development Cooperation (TSCDC), which took place from January 30 to 31 in Georgetown, Guyana. The meeting saw officials from both sides discuss key areas of mutual interest, including maximizing market access opportunities, fulfilling tariff commitments, boosting trade in goods and services, and initiating ongoing dialogues on tourism services.
The gathering, hosted at the CARICOM Secretariat Headquarters, also provided an opportunity to review recent developments in UK trade policy that could impact the Agreement.
Acknowledging the crucial role of the Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) in their economic and development collaboration, the parties discussed key market access challenges and the necessary steps to achieve the Agreement’s goals.
Recognizing the EPA’s potential to enhance trade and investment, both sides agreed to prioritize actions aimed at overcoming the barriers preventing CARIFORUM States from effectively accessing the UK market. They also addressed the UK’s concerns regarding market access to CARIFORUM States, as outlined in the Communique.
Officials from CARIFORUM and the UK also reviewed the EPA’s role as a development-focused agreement. The UK reiterated its commitment to providing financial support in alignment with CARIFORUM’s priorities.
The parties also acknowledged key milestones achieved since the provisional application of the Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) in 2021. Notable achievements include the operationalization of Joint Institutions such as the Joint CARIFORUM-UK Council, the Special Committee on Services, and the Technical Sub-Committee on Development Cooperation.
The meeting, chaired by the United Kingdom, was attended by representatives from Antigua and Barbuda, Barbados, Belize, The Bahamas, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Grenada, Guyana, Jamaica, St Kitts and Nevis, St Lucia, St Vincent and the Grenadines, Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago, the UK, and Northern Ireland. Haiti participated as an observer.
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