(CARIFORUM Directorate, CARICOM Secretariat, Turkeyen, Greater Georgetown, Guyana)- As part of its strategy to raise awareness of the benefits of the CARIFORUM-EU and CARIFORUM-UK Economic Partnership Agreements, the CARIFORUM Directorate is convening a series of webinars focused on EPA-related market intelligence tools. These webinars aim to enhance understanding of the European Union and United Kingdom markets.

The Bahamas was the first country to benefit from the initiative, with a webinar held on 27 June that featured the CARIFORUM Export Potential Map, a tool to identify market opportunities and requirements for exporting to the UK and the EU markets.

In delivering opening remarks, Ms. Alexis Downes Amsterdam, Director General of CARIFORUM, reminded that the EPAs aim to make it easier for people and businesses from both regions to trade with each other.

She noted that strengthening trade intelligence collection and dissemination is required to provide economic operators, including SMEs, and trade advisors, with comprehensive and up-to-date information.

In her remarks, Ms. Brickell Pinder, Director of Trade and Industry, and National EPA Coordinator of the Bahamas, thanked the CARIFORUM Directorate for the timely initiative and noted that information provided during the webinar can assist the Bahamas in the development of its national trade policy.

Market intelligence tools are online portals managed by organisations such as the International Trade Centre, the European Commission and UK Government. These portals provide valuable information on trade statistics, national laws, trade agreements, product originating criteria, documentation requirements, among other areas.

This information is especially useful for exporters, researchers and marketing professionals, tertiary education institutions, industry associations, Chambers of Commerce, Coalitions of Service Industries, companies, export promotion agencies, Ministries and other government agencies.