Caribbean Trade Law and Development

Category: trade news

  • Caribbean Trade & Development News Digest – December 1-8, 2019

    Caribbean Trade & Development News Digest – December 1-8, 2019

    Welcome to the Caribbean Trade & Development News Digest for the week of December 1-8, 2019! 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

    This week, the World Trade Organization (WTO) Members agreed to a preliminary 2020 budget, but succumbed to US demands regarding funding for the Appellate Body. According to Bloomberg, “the deal limits annual spending for appellate body members to no more than 100,000 francs, an 87% reduction from the full allotment, and caps spending by the body’s operating fund to 100,000 francs, a 95% reduction.”

    This coming week is a big week for the WTO and global trade in general. All eyes will be on the General Council meeting on December 9-11, 2019. A draft proposal on changes to the beleaguered Appellate Body will be considered by the General Council in a last ditch effort to save the WTO’s appellate jurisdiction from becoming inoperable when the terms of two of its three remaining Members expire this week. Read about the crisis here.

    On another note, the US revised and resubmitted (again) its proposal on Special and Differential Treatment for General Council consideration. Read my note on it here.

    On the Brexit front, the UK is set to hold its general elections this week, December 12, 2019. In the US-China trade war, December 15 is the date the Trump Administration set for imposition of the next round of tariffs on Chinese goods. Will the tariffs be imposed or will they be postponed again? The world watches…

    REGIONAL NEWS

    PM Mottley accepts CARICOM office space in Nairobi, Kenya

    Barbados Today: Prime Minister Mia Mottley today accepted, on behalf of her regional colleagues, space in an ultra-modern business complex in Nairobi, Kenya to be the home of a joint diplomatic mission. Read more

    As impact of climate crisis worsens, Caribbean islands see six-fold increase in number of children displaced by storms, new UNICEF report shows

    UNICEF: The estimated number of children displaced by storms and flooding in the Caribbean islands* saw a six-fold increase in the past five years, a new UNICEF report said today. Read more

    UK Expanding Regional Presence: High Commissioner

    Barbados Advocate: The United Kingdom (UK) is expanding its presence in the Eastern Caribbean.Word of this comes from British High Commissioner to Barbados and the Eastern Caribbean Her Excellency Janet Douglas. Read more

    Belize/Taiwan finalizing trade agreement

    LoveFM: Among all the projects between Belize and The Republic of China (Taiwan), the two countries are now trying to finalize a new agreement. This agreement will help Belize in exporting more products, including sugar. Read more

    US ambassador shares priority list with AMCHAM executives

    Jamaica Observer: United States Ambassador to Jamaica, Donald Tapia has reiterated that cyber security, energy, and closer US-Jamaica trade links are some of the key areas on his priority list for Jamaica. Read more

    CARICOM works to increase cooperation with the European Union

    Prensa Latina: The Caribbean Community (CARICOM) is committed today to increasing trade and services cooperation with the European Union (EU), after 11 years of the CARIFORUM-EU Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA). Read more

    Jampro encourages local companies to use services

    Jamaica Observer: President of Jamaica Promotions Corporation (Jampro) Diane Edwards is encouraging local companies to take full advantage of Jampro’s range of services to drive investment and trade in Jamaica. Read more

    CLA licensees trade $84m in cannabis since May

    Jamaica Observer: For the period May to November this year, trading among Cannabis Licensing Authority (CLA) licensees has been valued at US$629,000 (J$84.2 million). Read more

    CARICOM Special Rapporteur wants more access for Persons with Disabilities

    The Montserrat Reporter: the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Special Rapporteur on Disability, Dr. Floyd Morris, Tuesday reiterated a call for access for Persons with Disabilities as the region joined the global community in observing International Day of Disabled Persons. Read more

    20,000 CARICOM citizens await response on cheaper airfares

    Loop St Lucia: The petition to address high intra-regional travel taxes has been signed, sealed and delivered to all CARICOM Heads of Government. Read more

    INTERNATIONAL NEWS

    WTO Members Agree on a 2020 Budget, Averting Jan. 1 Shutdown

    Bloomberg: World Trade Organization members agreed to a preliminary 2020 budget, bowing to U.S. demands to choke off funding to the alliance’s appellate body. Read more

    WTO faces crisis over settlement disputes unless Trump backs off

    The Guardian: The World Trade Organization is set to plunge into the biggest crisis in its 25-year history later this week as the climax to a long-running and bitter dispute means the Geneva-based body will cease to be able to settle disputes between its member states. Read more

    WTO tries to grapple with existing caseload before critical date next week

    CBC: The World Trade Organization (WTO) battled on Tuesday over whether to bring its Appellate Body to an abrupt halt or allow its adjudicators to settle a handful of pending cases, according to trade officials present at a meeting on the subject. Read more

    RCEP countries must pay heed to India’s concerns

    Hindu Business Line: India’s doubts on issues like exports and its economic relations with China are genuine and crucial for growth. Only when these are resolved, should India consider joining the agreement again. Read more

    China exports fall again as US trade war continues

    BBC: China’s exports fell in November as shipments to the US slowed sharply, adding to concerns about the effects of the two nations’ trade war. Read more

    U.S. trade deficit shrinks sharply; labor market tight

    Reuters: The U.S. trade deficit dropped to its lowest level in nearly 1-1/2 years in October, suggesting trade could contribute to economic growth in the fourth quarter, though a broad decline in imports hinted at a slowdown in domestic demand. Read more

    Boris Johnson refuses to rule out leaving EU on WTO terms

    The Guardian: Boris Johnson has left the door open to coming out of the EU on World Trade Organization terms next year, after his foreign secretary, Dominic Raab, said it was “absolutely” right to keep a no-deal outcome on the table in trade talks. Read more

    WTO: 163 countries agree to make changes in rules governing trade dispute resolution

    Hindu Business Line: In an unusual development on Friday, 163 countries agreed to make comprehensive changes to the rules governing the resolution of trade disputes merely to placate one member — the US — for keeping the Appellate Body afloat, trade envoys said. Read more

    Drug protections to be rolled back in USMCA, Mexico says

    Washington Examiner: A top Mexican official has claimed that protections for biologic drugs are being rolled back in the pending trade deal being negotiated by the Trump administration, an apparent compromise that could attract Democratic support at the cost of the pharmaceutical industry. Read more

    AU urges greater intra-Africa trade

    Xinhua: The African Union (AU) on Tuesday stressed the need to unlock intra-Africa trade as only less than 20 percent of goods produced in Africa currently staying within the continent. Read more

    US vows 100% tariffs on French Champagne, cheese, handbags over digital tax

    Euractiv: The US government on Monday (2 November) said it may slap punitive duties of up to 100% on $2.4 billion in imports from France of Champagne, handbags, cheese and other products, after concluding that France’s new digital services tax would harm US tech companies. Read more

    We will ‘react as one’, EU tells US over French digital tax dispute

    Euractiv: The European Commission wants to settle the latest trade dispute with the US over the French digital tax “amicably” but warned that the bloc will “react as one” if Washington slaps tariffs on Paris. Read more

    EU-Ghana endorse market access offer and schedule under Economic Partnership Agreement

    EU: The second meeting of the EPA Committee under the Interim Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) between Ghana and the EU was held in Brussels on 29th November 2019. Read more

    Apec must press on towards free trade area of the Asia-Pacific, says Chile’s president Sebastian Pinera

    Strait Times: Apec has to continue working towards its goal of a free trade area spanning the Pacific Ocean, the outgoing chairman of the regional grouping said on Saturday (Dec 7). Read more

    APEC pledges to further cooperation in Chile year’s closing meeting

    Xinhua: Members of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) pledged to further their cooperation at the APEC Concluding Senior Officials’ Meeting (CSOM) held here on Saturday. Read more

    STRAIGHT FROM THE WTO

    NEW ON THE CTLD BLOG

    The Caribbean Trade & Development Digest is a weekly trade news digest produced and 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 subscribe to our Blog below:

  • Caribbean Trade & Development News Digest – November 17-23, 2019

    Caribbean Trade & Development News Digest – November 17-23, 2019

    Welcome to the Caribbean Trade & Development News Digest for the week of November 17-23, 2019! 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

    World merchandise trade is expected to remain below trend into the fourth quarter of 2019, according to the WTO’s latest Goods Trade Barometer. Read more here. The WTO’s new Trade Monitoring Report issued on 21 November shows that G20 economies from mid-May to mid-October 2019 introduced import-restrictive measures covering an estimated USD 460.4 billion worth of traded merchandise, a 37% increase: Read more.

    At the 38th Session of the ACP-EU Joint Parliamentary Assembly held November 17-21 in Kigali, Rwanda, parliamentarians from the European and ACP parliaments agreed on several resolutions. Read more here.

    CARICOM trade ministers met in Georgetown, Guyana, 18-19 November, for the 49th Regular Meeting of the Council for Trade and Economic Development (COTED). Read more here. A delegation from CARICOM also held a roundtable discussion with the US Congress on the issue of de-risking on November 19.

    REGIONAL NEWS

    US Congress Roundtable on de-risking in the Caribbean hailed a success

    CARICOM: Representatives of the governments of the 15-nation Caribbean Community (CARICOM) had a fully-attended Roundtable meeting on Tuesday November 19 with members of the U.S. Congress and senior representatives of major U.S. banks, concerning the effects of de-risking and the withdrawal of correspondent banking relations (CBRs). Read more

    UWI hosts Caribbean-China trade, investment symposium

    Guyana Chronicle: The University of the West Indies (UWI) Cave Hill Campus held a symposium titled “Exploring New Horizons in Caribbean-China Trade and Investment Relations” on Tuesday at the Errol Barrow Centre for Creative Imagination (EBCCI). Read more

    T&T manufacturers say seeking to tap all opportunities here

    Stabroek News: The Trinidad and Tobago Manufacturers’ Association (TTMA) led a Trade Mission to Guyana, from Wednesday to today, to engage in mutual trade with Guyanese companies. Read more

    Decisiveness, alacrity needed to confront challenges – COTED Chair

    CARICOM: Ministers with responsibility for Trade and Foreign Relations, in the Region began a two-day Meeting in Georgetown, Guyana, on Monday, against the background of difficult circumstances – trade, economic and environmental – facing the Caribbean Community (CARICOM). Read more

    Cops to receive training on trade-based money laundering

    LoopTT: Police Commissioner Gary Griffith met with Programme Officer of the Cybercrime and Anti-Money Laundering Section of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), Yevheniy Umanets. Read more

    JAMPRO pledges $1m in support of Kingston Creative

    Jamaica Observer: The Jamaica Promotions Corporation (JAMPRO) on Wednesday pledged $1million in support of Kingston Creative, a movement aimed at promoting culture and the regeneration of downtown Kingston. Read more

    Jamaica Customs updates items not requiring trade licenses

    Jamaica Observer: The Jamaica Customs Agency (JCA) has published a list of items which no longer require import or export licences from the Trade Board. Read more

    Minerals Sector Contributes 2.7 Per Cent To GDP

    JIS: Minister of Transport and Mining, Hon. Robert Montague, says in 2018, the minerals sector contributed some 2.7 per cent to Gross Domestic Product (GDP), while earning some US$1.3 billion. Read more

    Jamaica And China To Focus On Increasing Trade

    JIS: Prime Minister, the Most Hon. Andrew Holness, says Jamaica and China will focus on increasing trade, particularly in getting more Jamaican goods into the Chinese market. Read more

    Process to support CARICOM use of Jamaica’s new skills certificate completed — Johnson Smith

    Jamaica Observer: Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade Kamina Johnson-Smith says Jamaica, during the 49th meeting of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Council for Trade and Economic Development (COTED) in Georgetown, Guyana, completed the process to support the use of the country’s new higher-security skill certificate. Read more

    The Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) joins GGGI as its 34th Member and 1st Regional Integration Member

    OECS: The Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) became the 34th Member of the Global Green Growth Institute (GGGI) after formally submitting its Instrument of Accession. The OECS is also the first regional integration organisation to become a member of GGGI. Read more

    Securing Economic Integration: The importance of intraregional trade

    OECS: Intraregional trade is a critical component of the OECS integration process. Significant strides have been made over the years to secure the foundation for a thriving common market – resulting in the successful establishment of the Eastern Caribbean Economic Union in January, 2011. Read more

    Barbados commercial expo in Belize

    LoveFM: Barbados Investment and Development Corporation and Belize’s Ministry of Investment, Trade and Commerce brought the Barbados Commercial Mission to Belize Expo. Today ten companies from Barbados were represented at the expo. Read more

    Some CARICOM countries want amendment to Common External Tariff for certain products

    Kaiteur News: The Council for Trade and Economic Development (COTED) has been receiving a concerning number of requests for the suspension of the region’s common external tariff (CET) for certain products. This is according to the Chair of the 49th meeting of the Council, Francine Baron. Read more

    CARICOM delegation discussing corresponding banking in the US

    Jamaica Observer: Antigua and Barbuda Prime Minister Gaston Browne is leading a Caribbean Community (CARICOM) delegation to the United States to participate in a roundtable discussion on de-risking and correspondent banking. Read more

    After trade deal, unhealthy foods flowed into Central America, Dominican Republic, study finds

    Buffalo University: The research highlights the importance of studying ties between trade and diet. Read more

    Icecream making to return to Bim

    Barbados Today: Iconic ice cream brand BICO will once again be made in Barbados come February after a decade of overseas production in several countries, BICO Ltd’s executive director Edwin Thirlwell, announced Tuesday. Read more

    INTERNATIONAL NEWS

    The WTO Faces a New Threat From Trump, This Time Over Its Budget

    Bloomberg: The Trump administration on Friday criticized the World Trade Organization’s compensation structure for appellate body members, laying out a case for potentially blocking the institution’s budget and effectively halting its work starting next year. Read more

    Twenty-second UNCTAD-OECD Report on G20 Investment Measures

    UNCTAD: The joint UNCTAD-OECD Report reveals that investment policy making in G20 members has slowed down further during the reporting period (mid-May to mid-October 2019). Only a few G20 Members took investment policy action, and the number of measures was low. Read more

    Beijing signs 197 Cooperation documents on Belt & Road Construction

    Belt and Road News: China has Signed 197 Cooperation documents on Belt & Road Construction with 137 Countries and 30 International organisations by the end of October 2019, Meng Wei, the Spokeswoman for the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC), said at a Press Conference in Beijing. Read more

    ACP-EU : Agreement on climate change, migration and post-Cotonou

    European Parliament: MEPs and African, Caribbean and Pacific MPs agreed on climate change, migration, sustainable growth and the post-Cotonou agreement. Read more

    ACP-EU : Agreement on climate change, migration and post-Cotonou

    European Sting: During the 38th session of the Joint Parliamentary Assembly (JPA), which took place from 17 to 21 November in Kigali (Rwanda), Members of the European Parliament and their counterparts from 78 African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) countries debated and adopted several resolutions. Read more

    Need for a progressive EU-ACP partnership to address common global challenges

    Euractiv: The international scenario is rapidly changing, but not necessarily in a positive way. That’s why there is a need for a progressive partnership between the European Union and the Africa-Caribbean-Pacific countries, writes MEP Carlos Zorrinho. Read more

    Rwanda: Senate President Urges Lawmakers to Reflect Deeply on Global Issues

    AllAfrica: Senate President Dr Augustin Iyamuremye on Tuesday told delegates at the ongoing 38th session of the ACP-EU joint parliamentary assembly in Kigali that they must seize the opportunity, to reflect deeply on regional and global issues. Read more

    EU-Singapore trade agreement enters into force

    EU: On 21 November 2019, the EU-Singapore trade agreement entered into force. This means, among other benefits, that Singapore will now remove all remaining tariffs on EU products, provide new opportunities for EU services’ providers, ensure legal protection for 138 iconic European food and drink products (known as Geographical Indications), as well as remove regulatory obstacles to trade in key sectors. Read more

    WTO dispute settlement and the Appellate Body crisis: Insider perceptions and Members’ revealed preferences

    Vox: The WTO dispute settlement system is in crisis, endangering the future of the organisation. The proximate reason for alarm is the dwindling number of Appellate Body (AB) members, the result of the US blocking new appointments as the terms of sitting members expire. Read more

    Expert analysis: Africa’s free trade area – where are we now?

    GTR: The African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), launched in 2018 and now in its operational phase, is a landmark deal that aims to bring together 54 African countries with a combined population of more than 1 billion people and a combined GDP of over US$3tn. Read more

    Global Goods Trade Hit by Tensions and Rising Tariffs, WTO Says

    Bloomberg: Global trade in goods will likely remain below trend through the current quarter due to heightened tensions and rising tariffs in key sectors, according to a World Trade Organization report. Read more

    Japan’s Lower House approves trade deal with U.S.

    Japan Times: The Lower House signed off Tuesday on a trade deal with the United States that cuts tariffs on farm and industrial products, taking a step toward its entry into force next year. Read more

    The US–Japan trade deal: small agreement, broad implications

    East Asia Forum: The recent announcement of the US–Japan Trade Agreement (USJTA) must have come as a surprise to many in Japan given its unusual expeditiousness. The agreement was concluded just six months after negotiations began — a dramatic contrast to the EU–Japan Economic Partnership Agreement which took more than five years to achieve. Read more

    Japan’s exports post worst fall in 3 years as shipments to U.S., China drop

    Reuters: Japan’s exports tumbled at their quickest pace in three years in October, threatening to tip the trade-reliant economy into recession as weakening demand from United States and China darkened the outlook. Read more

    Donald Trump’s block on WTO judges creates ‘doomsday scenario’ for world trade disputes

    South China Morning Post: The world will not end on December 10, yet for many who have spent their careers within the global trading oversight system, the date has apocalyptic consequences. Read more

    Germany’s Merkel urges more investment in Africa

    RFI: Speaking at the third G20 Compact with Africa Summit in Berlin, German Chancellor Angela Merkel has urged more businesses to invest in Africa. But two years after its launch, experts say the compact has failed to reassure investors. Read more

    Global trade umpire: the next casualty of Trump’s tariff war?

    Reuters: U.S. President Donald Trump has upended the global trade order with a slew of tariffs on economic rivals: now, Washington has redoubled its efforts to paralyze the very body designed to settle such disputes. Read more

    Developing Global Free Trade: Linking China’s BRI with Mercosur, South America

    China Daily Briefing: Chinese President Xi Jinping has just returned from Brazil where he attended the annual meeting of the BRICS nations in Brasilia. With the Presidents and Prime Ministers from India, Russia, and South Africa also all attending, the scene has been set for Russia’s stint as the BRICS Chair in 2020, which is just six weeks away. Read more

    Beijing tariff demands may expand U.S.-China ‘phase one’ trade deal significantly

    Reuters: A “phase one” trade deal between the United States and China was supposed to be a limited agreement that would allow leaders from both countries to claim an easy victory while soothing financial markets. Read more

    EU defies Boris Johnson and declares UK will only get a ‘bare-bones’ trade deal or a no-deal Brexit next year

    Business Insider: The European Union’s trade chief has declared that Boris Johnson will only get a “bare-bones” trade deal next year — or none at all. Read more

    Eurobarometer survey: Majority of EU citizens positive about international trade

    EU: The results of a special Eurobarometer survey published today by the European Commission show that 60% of Europeans feel that they personally benefit from international trade, 16 percentage points more than 10 years ago at the time of the previous poll. Read more

    European Union launches WTO trade dispute against Colombia’s unfair duties on frozen fries

    EU: The EU has today brought a dispute to the World Trade Organization (WTO) against unlawful anti-dumping measures imposed by Colombia on frozen fries from Belgium, Germany and the Netherlands. Read more

    EU-Singapore free trade agreement comes into force

    Strait Times: The landmark trade agreement between the European Union and Singapore, which removes nearly all Customs duties between the two jurisdictions, comes into force today. Read more

    STRAIGHT FROM THE WTO

    NEW ON THE CTLD BLOG

    The Caribbean Trade & Development Digest is a weekly trade news digest produced and 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 subscribe to our Blog below:

  • Caribbean Trade & Development News Digest – November 10-16, 2019

    Caribbean Trade & Development News Digest – November 10-16, 2019

    Welcome to the Caribbean Trade & Development News Digest for the week of November 10-16, 2019! 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 BRICS held their 11th Summit on November 14th in Brasilia, Brazil. Have a read of the summit declaration here.

    Coming up this week, Ministers of Trade in the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) will gather in Georgetown, Guyana, 18-19 November, for the 49th Regular Meeting of the Council for Trade and Economic Development (COTED).

    REGIONAL NEWS

    Check to see if CARICOM still relevant to Guyana

    Stabroek: The Georgetown Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GCCI) believes Guyana must review its place in CARICOM and decide whether it is beneficial to remain part of the block, and that the country should leverage the looming opportunities in the petroleum sector to secure better trade arrangements with sister States. Read more

    The Bahamas on the road to recovery

    UNDP: Catastrophic winds and storm surge have long since receded in the Bahamas, but the devastation caused by this summer’s Category Five Hurricane Dorian, the strongest in the country’s history, has left the islands staggering. Read more

    CDB, CARICOM in Pact to Expand Single Market

    St Kitts & Nevis Observer: The Caribbean Development Bank (CDB) and the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) that will seek to facilitate regional integration and the expansion of the CARICOM Single Market and Economy (CSME). Read more

    Caricom sugar producers want 40% CET on imports

    Trinidad Daily Express: The Caribbean sugar industry is at a crossroads. Free market pressures, operational inefficiencies and sugar producers’ inability to meet manufacturers’ demand for refined white sugar have been a major source of frustration, resulting in an over-reliance on extra-regional sugar imports. Read more

    CARICOM SG calls for more affordable disaster insurance

    Stabroek: Secretary-General of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Irwin LaRocque wants the cost of natural disaster insurance to be more affordable. Read more

    INTERNATIONAL NEWS

    28 developing nations back India on OECD tax proposal

    Livemint: A group of 28 developing nations has backed India’s opposition to a set of new global rules for taxing tech giants being brokered by the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development. Read more

    BRICS Leaders Call for ‘Urgent’ Need to Reform UN, WTO, IMF to Address Issues of Developing Countries

    News18: Emphasising on their commitment to shape a more fair, just, equitable and representative multipolar international order, BRICS leaders underlined the imperative that international organisations be fully driven by member states and promote the interests of all. Read more

    BRICS summit condemns protectionism and pledges to overcome challenges faced by multilateralism

    Mercopress: Five of the biggest emerging economies railed against protectionism on Thursday as they vowed to overcome “significant challenges” facing multilateralism, in a swipe at US tariffs and unilateral action. Read more

    Pacific States to meet in Fiji

    Pacific Scoop: From 19 to 21 November, government officials from the Pacific region, together with the President of the Human Rights Council, Coly Seck of Senegal, and other representatives from Small Island Developing States (SIDS), will gather in Nadi, Fiji to explore ways to strengthen the participation of SIDS in the 47-member Council aiming to improve human rights conditions in their countries and in the region. Read more

    WTO rejects most of India’s claims against US steel duties

    Al Jazeera: The World Trade Organization also said the United States must bring a legislative provision into line with WTO rules. Read more

    U.S. Raises Prospect of Blocking Passage of WTO Budget

    Bloomberg: The Trump administration ratcheted up its pressure on the World Trade Organization by raising the possibility of blocking the approval of the institution’s biennial budget and effectively halting its work starting next year. Read more

    WTO members warn on post-Brexit market access

    RTE: World Trade Organization members have demanded compromises from the EU and Britain to ensure foreign businesses do not lose market access in post-Brexit trade. Read more

    Here’s What It Means to Be a WTO Developing Country

    WashingtonPost: President Donald Trump says it’s not fair for China to receive preferential trade benefits as a developing nation at the World Trade Organization. Trump’s argument is that China — the largest economy in the world after the U.S. — should not enjoy the kind of preferential trade treatment that’s really intended to bolster much poorer nations. Read more

    Australia and others ask for Brexit trade compensation

    BBC: Countries including Australia have asked for trade compensation from the UK and the EU over Brexit disruption. Read more

    Fifteen countries including Brazil, asking for trade compensations from UK/EU Brexit disruption

    Mercopress: Countries including Australia have asked for trade compensation from the UK and the EU over Brexit disruption. Fifteen countries, including the US, India and New Zealand, have been setting out Brexit concerns at a World Trade Organization (WTO) meeting in Geneva. Read more

    European Union launches WTO trade dispute against Colombia’s unfair duties on frozen fries

    EU: The EU has today brought a dispute to the World Trade Organization (WTO) against unlawful anti-dumping measures imposed by Colombia on frozen fries from Belgium, Germany and the Netherlands. Read more

    Jack Ma Sees E-Commerce as Africa’s Big Business Opportunity

    Bloomberg: Jack Ma, the co-founder of Alibaba Group Holding Ltd., said African entrepreneurs will find countless opportunities in e-commerce, logistics and e-payments as the continent prepares for the start of a free-trade deal. Read more

    Feature: Xi spearheads closer China-LatAm cooperation for common prosperity

    XInhua: China and Latin America sit on the opposite sides of the globe, but the formidably vast Pacific Ocean that separates them did not stop them from sharing a long history of exchanges. Read more

    STRAIGHT FROM THE WTO

    NEW ON THE CTLD BLOG

    The Caribbean Trade & Development Digest is a weekly trade news digest produced and 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 subscribe to our Blog below:

  • Caribbean Trade & Development Digest – November 3-9, 2019

    Caribbean Trade & Development Digest – November 3-9, 2019

    Welcome to the Caribbean Trade & Development News Digest for the week of November 3-9, 2019! 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.

    China hosted a WTO Mini Ministerial in Shanghai on November 5th. Jamaica was among the countries which attended. Read more here.

    India has opted out of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP). Read more

    Two high level meetings were held in Barbados this week: An Insurance Colloquium with the theme ‘Insurance in the Age of Climate Change‘ hosted by the Government of Barbados and the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) and the 2019 Caribbean Forum: Regional Transformation for Inclusive and Sustainable Growth hosted by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the Caribbean Development Bank (CDB).

    REGIONAL NEWS

    Barbados to partner with Suriname for Black Belly Sheep operation

    Barbados Advocate: Local agricultural officials are seeking to partner with their counterparts in Suriname, to facilitate a Black Belly Sheep operation which will see land being utilised in that CARICOM country to increase production of our Black Belly Sheep and to build out the full value chain, where the local industry is concerned. Read more

    Saint Lucia gets help from Argentina to boost honey production, marketing

    IICA: The authorities of Saint Lucia give final touches to the preparations for the next visit of two Argentine experts in the framework of API Caribe, a regional project of the Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA) and the government of Argentina to boost the beekeeping industry of the Caribbean nations. Read more

    Jamaica Launches Online Investment Guide

    JIS: Jamaica has joined 28 other nations, including several Caribbean states, that have developed online investment guides (iGuides). Read more

    Holness assures China of Jamaica’s cooperation in economic development

    Jamaica Observer: Prime Minister Andrew Holness yesterday welcomed the opportunity to pair Jamaican minds and aspirations with China’s experience and know-how. Holness said that Jamaica was excited about exploring the possibilities of pairing those assets in areas such as renewable energy, border security, agriculture, health care, and STEM education to achieve sustainability and resilience in its economy. Read more

    New age limit on imported vehicles takes effect

    Jamaica Observer: The new age limit at which motor vehicles can be imported into the island has taken effect. Read more

    Saint Vincent and the Grenadines to Export Largest Single Shipment of Livestock to Grenada

    OECS: The bilateral agri-export agreement between Grenada and St. Vincent and the Grenadines continues to grow from strength to strength. St. Vincent and the Grenadines is set to export a shipment of 100 heads of cattle and 400 pigs to Grenada on November 17, 2019. Read more

    UWITV: The Caribbean/St Vincent election

    Watch the recording of the debate here.

    INTERNATIONAL NEWS

    As deadline looms, WTO fish subsidy talks get new Colombian chief

    Reuters: World Trade Organization (WTO) member states agreed on Friday to a new chair for talks to end harmful fishing subsidies, though an NGO said it would still take a “Herculean” effort to reach a deal before an end-December deadline. Read more

    India, 16 others complain to WTO about EU’s residue limits for pesticides

    Hindu Business Line: India and sixteen other countries such as Brazil, Colombia, Argentina and the US have complained at the World Trade Organisation (WTO) against the EU decision to amend its policy on the maximum residue levels (MRLs) for a wide range of pesticides mainly used in the cultivation of citrus fruit and bananas. Read more

    Trade and Trade Diversion Effects of United States Tariffs on China

    UNCTAD: The study, Trade and Trade Diversion Effects of United States Tariffs on China, shows that the ongoing US-China trade war has resulted in a sharp decline in bilateral trade, higher prices for consumers and trade diversion effects (increased imports from countries not directly involved in the trade war). Read more

    East Asia Summit: PM Lee calls on regional leaders to update trade rules to keep up with digital economy

    Strait Times: Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong on Monday (Nov 4) called on Asean nations and their partners to help write a new rule book on trade to keep up with the rapidly evolving digital economy. Read more

    RCEP trade deal can take effect without India, Thailand confirms

    Nikkei Asian Review: A historic Asia-Pacific trade pact may come into force without one of the biggest participants — a hesitant India — a top Thai official indicated on Friday. Read more

    Passing USMCA by Thanksgiving would be a ‘linchpin’ for global trade, former Trump aide says

    CNBC: Congress must approve the United States-Mexico-Canada (USMCA) trade agreement in order to provide a linchpin for global trade discussions, according to Rick Dearborn, the former White House deputy chief of staff for policy. Read more

    India, 30 other nations call to protect WTO appellate body at Shanghai meet

    Livemint: India and 30 other countries on Tuesday called for urgently resolving an impasse at the World Trade Organization’s (WTO’s) highest dispute settlement body, which faces being reduced to a one-judge court after 11 December. Read more

    STRAIGHT FROM THE WTO

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