Remarks by the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade of Barbados, Hon. Kerrie Symmonds, Chair of Council for Trade and Economic Development (COTED), at the 60th Regular Meeting of the COTED | 10 June 2025 | Georgetown, Guyana

Colleagues Ministers, Excellencies, Heads of Delegations, representatives of regional institutions, it is my pleasure to welcome you today to this the 60th COTED Meeting.

I want to begin by thanking the Secretary-General and CARICOM Secretariat as a whole, for the excellent arrangements in place for us to gather here at the Secretariat and virtually.

Two years ago, we could never have imagined the turmoil that the global trading system and the global economy are confronted with. Our business community is reeling from cancelled export orders, the imposition of new and unexpected tariffs and unprecedented uncertainties.

It is in this context that today I wish to underscore the important role assigned to the COTED as the Council that addresses the Single Market and trade and economic development issues that are at the forefront of our Community’s concerns. Trade and economic development issues were and will always be at the top of this Community’s development agenda as a grouping of small states.

The question of whether our exports can enter markets with the least possible barriers and whether imports reach us in a timely, safe, and affordable manner will all impact the performance of our economies and determine whether we thrive or struggle as a Community. These considerations must be uppermost on our minds today as we take these critical decisions in our region’s interest.

Excellencies, our meeting will consider the actionable recommendations of our Senior Officials who met on 7-8 May 2025. I am confident that all the reports from the Preparatory Meeting of Officials and other documentation have been reviewed, and delegations are briefed and ready to work. We are convened here at a moment of tremendous global and geopolitical tension and unease. As we attempt to navigate these turbulent waters, I want to acknowledge and express gratitude to Dr. Carla Barnett, Secretary-General CARICOM; Amb Wayne McCook, Assistant Secretary-General, CARICOM Single Market and Trade; Dr. Wendell Samuel, Assistant Secretary-General Economic Integration, Innovation and Development; General Counsel Lisa Shoman, upon whom I will rely on to assist us during the course of our deliberations.

Excellencies, we have a range of matters for discussion/decision. We will take note of the status of work on the development of COTED Draft Rules of Procedure emanating from the Open-ended Working Group (OEWG). With respect to implementation of the CSME, we have work to do on the trade in goods regime that is a mainstay of COTED’s work. In this regard we will consider:

- Requests for suspensions of the CET received by the Secretary General between 27 May and 3 June 2025.

- Outcomes of regional consultations on the Review of Community RoO and on the Use of specifications in applications for suspensions of the CET and the granting of safeguard certificates.

- The implementation of the revised CET regime.

- We will also consider important initiatives of the CSME which need to be advanced with urgency with respect to Free movement of all CARICOM nationals; the Community’s Competition Policy regime, the Regional Industrial Policy and strategy, and the assessment of the Impacts and Potential Benefits of the CSME.

- On External Trade Relations, we will consider multilateral developments in the WTO; key developments in US trade policy that impact CARICOM trade and economic prospects; regional preparations for the resumption of negotiations with Colombia; and Belize’s request for certification and approval of its Partial Scope Agreement with El Salvador.

- On Standards, we will consider CROSQ’s request for approval of two Final Draft CARICOM Regional Standards and an update on the ongoing conversations regarding the Front of Package Labelling (FOPL).

Additionally, there are several matters for information/update regarding:

- Implementation of the CARICOM Interactive Marketplace and Suspension Procedure (CIMSuPRO)

- Implementation of the Protocol on Public Procurement in the Community

- Progress with respect to the programme of support measures for implementation of Article 164 of the Revised Treaty, among other things.

Excellencies, we have a full agenda. I intend to keep our deliberations focused - agenda item by agenda item. I encourage brief and focused interventions directed to the issues under consideration. Above all things, let us be ready to take bold and decisive action on matters that require clear direction from us as Ministers in the collective interest of this Region.