CHRIST CHURCH, BARBADOS – The Fifth Meeting of CARIFORUM-EU Principal Negotiators was convened in Barbados on March 27-28. A Joint Statement (appended to this News Release), which takes stock of the one and a half day encounter, was issued this afternoon at a Joint Press Conference, in which b...

SAVARIN: WTO FALLING OUT OF FAVOR WITH THE CARIBBEAN CHRIST CHURCH, BARBADOS – With the Sixth World Trade Organization (WTO) Ministerial Conference just a week away, Dominica’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Labour Hon. Charles Savarin has written an op ed (see below), that highlights on-goi...

CHRIST CHURCH, BARBADOS – “The decision of the EU to proceed with such a hefty price cut is outrageous and unconscionable, and as though to add insult to injury EU beet sugar producers will now receive compensation covering 64.2% (inclusive of an additional €2.2 billion) of the loss...

CHRIST CHURCH, BARBADOS – A ruling handed down by World Trade Organization (WTO) Arbitrators October 27 on the proposed European Union banana tariff has met with deep shock and disappointment across the Caribbean. The Arbitrators ruled that the proposal would not maintain market access for thi...

CARIFORUM-EU LAUNCH CRUCIAL PHASE OF TRADE AND DEVELOPMENT TALKS The third phase of negotiations for an Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) between CARIFORUM countries and the European Union was launched today in Saint Lucia. CARIFORUM Trade Ministers and European Trade Commissioner Peter Mandelso...

GROS ISLET, SAINT LUCIA – “For small developing economies, trade is an important mechanism for nurturing economic growth. In the current international trading environment, however, there is a scaling down and in some cases dismantlement of special arrangements for key Caribbean export pr...

GROS ISLET, SAINT LUCIA – “CARIFORUM-EU negotiations for an Economic Partnership Agreement are at a propitious juncture, having successfully advanced through two preliminary phases. Emerging from the current Regional Integration phase, both sides have a better understanding of their respective econo...

CARIBBEAN CONCERNED OVER EC SUGAR REFORM PROPOSALS Steep Price Cuts to have Devastating Effect on Region’s Fragile Economies CHRIST CHURCH, BARBADOS – The European Commission unveiled plans Wednesday (June 22) for an overhaul of the Common Market Organisation for sugar. The Commission re...

CHRIST CHURCH, BARBADOS – As part of efforts to strengthen the participation of and dialogue with regional civil society stakeholders as regards CARIFORUM-European Union (EU) Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) negotiations, a Caribbean Non-State Actors (NSA) Network was launched in Barbados,...

CHRIST CHURCH, BARBADOS – Senior Caribbean and European Commission (EC) officials met in Barbados today, November 12.  The encounter marked the Second Meeting of CARIFORUM-EC Principal Negotiators; the first having been convened in Brussels, July 15, 2004. CARIFORUM officials were led by...