Welcome to the Caribbean Trade & Development Digest for the week of January 20-26, 2019! We do apologise for the delay in this week’s issue. We are happy to bring you the major trade and development headlines and analysis from across the Caribbean Region and the world from the past week.
THIS WEEK’S HIGHLIGHTS
The big trade news this week is that on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum (WEF) meeting in Davos, Switzerland, some seventy-six World Trade Organisation (WTO) members agreed to launch negotiations on an e-commerce agreement.
Below are the other major trade and development headlines from across the Caribbean region and the world for last week:
REGIONAL
Tariff Flaws Crippling CARICOM Exports, Says Trade Expert
Jamaica Gleaner: Trade expert Karl Hyatt has called for meaningful amendments to the Common External Tariff (CET) now under review to address some of the entrenched flexibility that has been abused by some CARICOM states. Read more
Dominica blasts international financial community over unilateral demands, calls for CARICOM unity
St Lucia News Online: The Dominica government Monday blasted the international community over its unilateral demands for tightening measures within the international financial services sector and again called for a united Caribbean Community (CARICOM) approach to the situation. Read more
Jagdeo meets CARICOM Chairman on no-confidence motion
Stabroek: The Leader of the Opposition, Dr. Bharrat Jagdeo, today met with the Chairman of CARICOM, Dr. Timothy Harris, Prime Minister of St. Kitts and Nevis and a team, including CARICOM-Secretary-General, Ambassador Irwin LaRocque , at the Office of the Leader of the Opposition on Church Street. The meeting discussed the no-confidence motion against the current APNU+AFC coalition government, a statement from Jagdeo’s office said. Read more
Private Sector and Labour Leaders to Participate in Caricom Heads Meetings
JIS News: The revised Treaty of Chaguaramas is to be amended to allow representatives of the private sector and the Caribbean Congress of Labour to participate in CARICOM Heads of Government meetings, says Barbadian Prime Minister, Hon. Mia Mottley. Read more
Statement by Heads of Government of CARICOM on Venezuela
CARICOM: The following Heads of Government of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) – Antigua and Barbuda, Barbados, Belize, Dominica, Jamaica, Montserrat, St. Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Trinidad and Tobago; Foreign Ministers of Grenada and Suriname;, meeting by video-conference on 24 January 2019, issued the following statement. Read more
High level CARICOM talks held in Guyana
St. Kitts & Nevis Observer: The Prime Minister of St. Kitts and Nevis and current Chairman of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), Dr. the Honourable Timothy Harris, is currently in the Cooperative Republic of Guyana where he is holding several rounds of discussions with top level CARICOM officials, including Secretary-General, Ambassador Irwin LaRocque. Read more
CARICOM Development Fund clinches US$1m pact with India
Stabroek: India and the CARICOM Development Fund (CDF) signed a Contribution Agreement on January 19th, 2019, in Paramaribo Suriname which provides for a grant allocation of US$1m to the CDF’s capital fund. Read more
INTERNATIONAL
DAVOS-Nearly half WTO members agree to talks on new e-commerce rules
Reuters: Impatient with the lack of World Trade Organization rules to cover the explosive growth of e-commerce, 76 countries and regions agreed on Friday to start negotiating this year on a set of open and predictable regulations. Read more
Uruguay diverges from Mercosur, aligns with Mexico on Venezuela crisis
Buenos Aires Times: Uruguay and Mexico call for peaceful resolution in a joint statement released Wednesday, after opposition leader Juan Guaido declares himself interim president. Read more
Brexit trade deal agreed by British and Israeli ministers, in principle
Jewish News: British and Israeli ministers have announced that they have agreed a post-Brexit trade agreement in principle. Read more
Brexit: New Zealand’s Jacinda Ardern says trade deal ‘a priority’
BBC: New Zealand’s prime minister has said she is “ready and willing” to sign a post-Brexit trade deal with the UK. Jacinda Ardern said negotiating a free trade agreement would be a “real priority” once the UK had left the EU. Read more
Japan-U.S. talks on bilateral trade deal likely to face delay
Japan Times: Japan and the United States are unlikely to open negotiations on a proposed bilateral trade pact before the end of this month, due chiefly to the prolonged partial U.S. government shutdown, sources have said. Read more
Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross: The US is still ‘miles and miles’ from a trade deal with China
CNBC: Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross said Thursday the U.S. is still “miles and miles” from a trade deal with China. Read more
No Sweeping Free Trade Deal, Brussels Tells Washington
Foreign Policy: Six months after U.S. President Donald Trump proclaimed he’d already reached a trade deal with the European Union, Brussels has only now laid out its preliminary conditions for talks. Read more
Expert urges caution over speedy trade deal with EU
Radio New Zealand: A trade expert is advising negotiators not to rush a free trade agreement with the European Union, New Zealand’s third largest export market. Read more
Brexit: Liam Fox yet to seal no-deal trade agreements
BBC: The UK has yet to finalise agreements to replace existing free trade deals the EU has with 40 big economies if there is a no-deal Brexit. International Trade Secretary Liam Fox said he “hoped” they would but it depended on whether other countries were “willing to put the work in”. Read more
WTO NEWS
United States appeals panel report regarding US duties on Turkish pipe and tube products
WTO: The United States filed an appeal on 25 January concerning the WTO panel report in the case brought by Turkey in “United States — Countervailing Measures on Certain Pipe and Tube Products” (DS523). The panel report was circulated to WTO members on 18 December 2018. Read more
DG Azevêdo meets ministers in Davos: discussions focus on reform; progress on e-commerce
WTO: Participating in a series of ministerial discussions during the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting in Davos this week, Director-General Roberto Azevêdo reviewed the challenges and opportunities facing global trade today, and stressed that the trading system must evolve if it is to remain relevant. Read more
DDG Yi stresses importance of WTO-APEC cooperation in crucial period for global trade
WTO: Deputy Director-General Yi Xiaozhun has stressed the importance of exploiting the synergies between the WTO and the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) in a crucial period for global trade. Read more
Registration opens for public hearing in “US — Countervailing Measures on Softwood Lumber from Canada”
WTO: At the request of the parties in the dispute “US — Countervailing Measures on Softwood Lumber from Canada” (DS533), the panel has decided to open its first substantive meeting to public observation on 26, 27, and 28 February 2019. The live screening will take place at the WTO’s headquarters in Geneva. Read more
The Caribbean Trade & Development Digest is a weekly trade news digest published by the Caribbean Trade Law & Development Blog. Liked this issue? To read past issues, please visit here. To receive these mailings directly to your inbox, please follow our blog.
You must log in to post a comment.