Welcome to the Caribbean Trade and Development Digest for the week of January 28- February 3, 2018! We are pleased to share some of the major trade and development headlines and analysis across the Caribbean region and the World. We hope you enjoy this edition.
REGIONAL
Caribbean Integration Too Slow, Too Weak – High-Ranking EU Diplomat Cautions Region Against Segmented Trade Market
Jamaica Gleaner: The region’s attempt at integrating into a single market is taking too long and the progress is moving too slowly, Director-General of the European Commission’s Directorate General for International Cooperation and Development Stefano Manservisi has charged. Read more
Some CARICOM Countries To Benefit From PAHO Agreement
Jamaica Gleaner: Seven Caribbean Community (CARICOM) countries are to benefit from a new multi-country strategy for technical cooperation in health through 2024. Read more
INTERNATIONAL
23 African nations sign major aviation trade agreement
ENCA: Africans have for years paid sky-high airfares when travelling within the continent but a major aviation trade agreement launched Monday by the African Union aims to change that. Read more
Trump stance on Korea-US free trade agreement softening
Asia Times: Observers are optimistic the Trump administration will take a pragmatic approach to renegotiating KORUS, partly due to national security considerations. Read more
WTO members discuss how to organize work on fisheries subsidies negotiations after MC11
WTO: WTO members meeting as the Negotiating Group on Rules on 30 January discussed how to organize work on fisheries subsidies to fulfil the 11th Ministerial Conference (MC11) decision to continue negotiations with a view to adopting an agreement by the next Ministerial Conference in 2019. Read more
Russia initiates WTO compliance proceedings over pig products import restrictions
WTO: The Russian Federation has requested WTO consultations with the European Union to address Russia’s claim that it has complied with a WTO ruling regarding its import restrictions on live pigs, pork and other pig products from the European Union. The request was circulated to WTO members on 30 January. Read more
UAE initiates WTO complaint against Pakistan over film duties
WTO: The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has requested WTO consultations with Pakistan concerning certain anti-dumping measures on imports of biaxially oriented polypropylene (“BOPP”) film from the UAE. The request was circulated to WTO members on 29 January. Read more
European Commission’s new expert group on EU trade agreements holds first meeting
EU: The European Commission’s new expert group on EU trade agreements held its first meeting today in Brussels. Read more
European Commission imposes measures on cast iron products from China
EU: The Commission has today imposed definitive anti-dumping duties on iron castings from China. The measures range from 15.5% to 38.1%. Read more
Joint communique from Ghana-EU Interim EPA Committee
EU: The first meeting of the EPA Committee under the Interim Economic Partnership
Agreement (IEPA) between Ghana and the EU was held in Accra, Ghana on 24 January
2018. Read more
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