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  • Caribbean Trade & Development News Digest – November 8-14, 2020

    Caribbean Trade & Development News Digest – November 8-14, 2020

    Welcome to the Caribbean Trade & Development News Digest for the week of November 8-14, 2020! We are pleased to bring you the major trade and development news headlines and analysis from across the Caribbean Region and the world from the past week.

    THIS WEEK’S HIGHLIGHTS

    Fifteen States, comprising 30% of the world’s economy, have signed the world’s largest trading bloc – the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP). The signatory States include all 10 ASEAN Member States, Australia, China, Japan, South Korea and New Zealand. Read more here.

    The EU has put in place countermeasures against the US with respect to the WTO Boeing dispute, increasing tariffs on U.S. exports into the EU worth $4 billion. Read more here.

    EU and UK negotiators resumed Brexit talks in London but appear no closer to a post-Brexit deal as time for the end of the transition period runs out.

    Belizeans went to the polls this week and voted for a change of government. John Briceno has been sworn in as Belize’s new Prime Minister. Read more here.

    The Caribbean Community (CARICOM) has released a statement congratulating President-elect Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris. Regional experts have been weighing in on what the Biden/Harris victory could potentially mean for US-Caribbean relations. I have included some of the articles below. You can also read my analysis here.

    REGIONAL

    Don’t expect Biden to rescue the Caribbean, says Bernal

    Jamaica Observer: There will be no financial windfall for the Caribbean from a Joe Biden-led US Government cautions Richard Bernal, former Jamaican ambassador to the USA, who on Friday shared his views on the foreign policy implications of a Biden win. Read more

    UWI’s Beckles: Biden/Harris victory a ‘win’ for Caribbean

    TT Newsday: UWI Vice-Chancellor Sir Hilary Beckles says the Biden/Harris victory is also “a win” for the Caribbean. He was speaking at a virtual media conference on Thursday afternoon under the theme Caricom, the UWI, Biden and the Future of Our Voice. Read more

    Sir Ronald Sanders: The world is waiting to breathe normally again

    Jamaica Observer: Caribbean Community (Caricom) countries should by now have worked out a strategy for securing the early attention of United States President-elect Joe Biden and the team working on his transition into the White House and to the helm of the Government. Read more

    What a Biden-Harris win means for Jamaica and the Caribbean

    Guyanese Online: While there will be considerable euphoria and pride in a Joe Biden-Kamala Harris win in the US presidential race, Jamaica-born New York-based political scientist, Diana Cassells, is cautioning Jamaica and the Caribbean about their expectations at this time. Read more

    American legislators with C’bean roots jubilant over Biden-Harris victory

    Jamaica Observer: Caribbean American legislators in the United States on Saturday celebrated the election of US Democratic Presidential nominee Joe Biden and his Caribbean American vice-presidential running mate Senator Kamala Harris. Read more

    Coffee exporters seeking to retain US$10 million in exports to Japan

    Jamaica Observer: The Jamaica Coffee Exporters Association is seeking to retain some US$10 million in exports of Blue Mountain coffee to the Japanese market for the 2020-21 crop year, similar to the value purchased last year. Read more

    Government Supports Export Efforts Of Local Businesses

    JIS: State Minister in the Ministry of Industry, Investment and Commerce (MIIC), Dr. the Hon. Norman Dunn, said the Government is committed to facilitating the export efforts of local businesses. Read more

    Transformational Changes Coming For Agriculture In The Region

    Jamaica Gleaner: As agriculture and food systems across Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) try to recover from the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, policymakers must act to unleash the sector’s vast potential to drive sustainable and inclusive growth for decades to come, according to a new World Bank report. Read more

    BSI launches project to support sugar industry

    Amandala: On November 2, 2020, ASR/BSI officially launched the Belize Smart Sugarcane Cluster Project, a digital platform that will make information readily available to all the stakeholders in the sugarcane industry, and will especially help the 5,200 farmers who grow most of the cane that the Tower Hill factory converts to sugar for export and to supply local needs. Read more

    Vincentian appointed Director of Trade and Sustainable Development Association of Caribbean States

    Searchlight: Safiya Horne-Bique, a Vincentian national, assumed her duties as Director of Trade and Sustainable Development at the Secretariat of the Association of Caribbean States (ACS) on Monday November 2, 2020. Read more

    Europe’s appetite for Caribbean food highlights growing trend

    EU Reporter: The Caribbean food market is now worth almost £100 million. Sauces and condiments in particular are worth £1.12 billion and grew by 16.8% in the last year. Read more

    Western Union to suspend US transfers to Cuba

    Caribbean News Global: Western Union said on Friday it was suspending US money transfers to Cuba in 10 days due to the Trump administration’s latest sanction on the Communist-run island, in a blow to the many Cubans who rely on remittances from family abroad. Read more

    INTERNATIONAL

    RCEP: Asia-Pacific countries form world’s largest trading bloc

    BBC: Fifteen countries have formed the world’s largest trading bloc, covering nearly a third of the global economy. Read more

    What is RCEP and what does an Indo-Pacific free-trade deal offer China?

    SCMP: When leaders from 15 countries in the Indo-Pacific region meet for a virtual summit on Sunday, they are expected to sign a free-trade agreement that, measured by population and GDP, is one of the most ambitious ever struck. Read more

    Trudeau: UK’s lack of negotiating practice could delay Canada trade deal

    The Guardian: Canada could easily negotiate a post-Brexit trade deal with the UK, Justin Trudeau has said, but he warned that talks could be delayed because British negotiators are so out of practice. Read more

    Trudeau says he expects trade deal with U.K. can be done before 2021

    CBC: Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says he expects Canada can make a new trade deal with the U.K. before the calendar hit 2021. Read more

    Boeing WTO case: The EU puts in place countermeasures against U.S. exports

    EU: The European Commission’s regulation increasing tariffs on U.S. exports into the EU worth $4 billion will be published in the Official Journal of the EU. Read more

    EU-UK talks: ‘Make or break’ moment approaching, say both sides

    BBC: Trade talks between the UK and EU are reaching the “make or break” point, the two sides have said, with key differences proving hard to resolve. Read more

    EU unlikely to give UK more time to adjust after Brexit transition ends, Ireland’s FM tells Euronews

    Euronews: It is unlikely the European Union will grant the UK a grace period in January to help business adjust to the new post-Brexit trading regime, Ireland’s foreign affairs minister has told Euronews. Read more

    Trading partners seek post-Brexit clarity at WTO

    Reuters: Major trading partners called on Britain and the European Union (EU) on Friday to clarify terms for renegotiating tariff levels after Brexit and for compensating their suppliers for any lost market access, a Geneva trade official said. Read more

    In first for Fed, U.S. central bank says climate poses stability risks

    Reuters: “The U.S. Federal Reserve for the first time called out climate change among risks enumerated in its biannual financial stability report, and warned about the potential for abrupt changes in asset values in response to a warming planet. Read more

    EU hits Amazon with antitrust charges. A huge fine could follow

    CNN: The European Union has unveiled formal antitrust charges against Amazon for abusing its dominance in online shopping and opened a second investigation into the company’s business practices. Read more

    Commission welcomes agreement on the modernisation of EU export controls

    EU: The European Commission welcomes the agreement reached today by the European Parliament and the Council on its proposal for a modernisation of EU export controls on sensitive dual-use goods and technologies. Read more

    Appointment of WTO chief in doubt after key meeting cancelled

    The Guardian: Nigeria’s Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala had been expected to be confirmed as leader on Monday. Read more

    5 ways the WTO can make investment easier and boost sustainable development

    World Economic Forum: As WTO delegates discuss what might be important measures to include, here are five provisions worth considering. Read more

    As WTO Talks Continue on Subsidy Reform Initiatives, Concerns Persist over Poor Notification Records

    IISD: The need to reform the World Trade Organization’s (WTO) agriculture subsidy rules and to clinch a deal that disciplines harmful fisheries subsidies are well known, and the latter agreement is now nearly within striking distance. Read more

    WTO Committee Discusses Ways to Facilitate FDI in Small Economies

    IISD: A meeting of the World Trade Organization (WTO) Committee on Trade and Development discussed foreign direct investment (FDI) and a joint communication on accelerating implementation of the WTO’s Trade Facilitation Agreement (TFA). Read more

    Minister for Agriculture: ‘Tariffs will apply under WTO rules in no-deal Brexit’

    Irish Examiner: The Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Charlie McConalogue, has confirmed that tariffs will apply to Irish goods going into the UK in the event of a no-deal Brexit scenario because of World Trade Organisation (WTO) rules. Read more

    How intra-African trade is progressing amid the pandemic

    BBC: Last year African countries signed an agreement aimed at increasing trade between them. If implemented successfully, they believe it could create a single African market of over a billion consumers. 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 Community (CARICOM) congratulates US President-elect Biden and VP-elect Harris

    Caribbean Community (CARICOM) congratulates US President-elect Biden and VP-elect Harris

    The 15-Member Caribbean Community (CARICOM) has extended its congratulations to President-elect Joe Biden and Vice President-elect Kamala Harris. The congratulatory message was sent by the current chairman under the grouping’s rotating chairmanship system, Dr. The Hon. Ralph Gonsalves, Prime Minister of St. Vincent and the Grenadines.

    The full statement may be viewed below:

    Heads of Government of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) congratulate the President-elect of the United States, Mr Joseph Biden, on his victory in the elections of 2 November.

    The historic nature of this victory is exemplified by the election of Vice-President-elect Kamala Harris, a person of Caribbean and South Asian descent, as the first woman to achieve that position.

    Mr Biden will assume office during one of the most challenging periods of recent history and his vast experience will be of great value to the global community at this time.

    The President-elect has been a friend to CARICOM and the Community looks forward to working with the new administration of the United States, in pursuing our common goal of advancing the wellbeing of our people. It is a country with which the Community is inextricably linked through geography, shared values, familial ties, and economic and security relations.

    The Community wishes President-elect Biden and Vice President-elect Harris every success in their tenure.

  • Biden/Harris Victory: What might it mean for US-Caribbean Relations?

    Biden/Harris Victory: What might it mean for US-Caribbean Relations?

    Photo credit: Image by heblo from Pixabay

    Alicia Nicholls

    Caribbean leaders have joined with those around the world to warmly congratulate US President-elect, Joe Biden, on winning the US presidential election of November 3, 2020. Of particular pride for the region is that his second-in-command, Senator Kamala Harris, who has both Jamaican and Indian parentage, is not just the first woman Vice President-elect, but first person of colour and first person of Caribbean descent to ascend to such high office in the US.

    As of the time of this article’s writing, incumbent Republican president, Donald Trump, who has now lost the popular vote twice, has not yet conceded defeat and has launched several legal challenges, calling the election ‘fraudulent’.

    Beyond the symbolism of the Biden/Harris win, and assuming a peaceful transfer of power come January 20, 2021 (the date set for Biden’s inauguration), what does the Biden/Harris victory portend for the future of US-Caribbean relations?

    Who are Joe Biden and Kamala Harris?

    Joe Biden, who is 77 and will be 78 when inaugurated, will be the oldest US president to assume office. This was Mr. Biden’s third run for the White House. However, he brings a wealth of experience and skills as a former long-standing Senator for the US state of Delaware where he was a member and eventually chair of the Senate Foreign Relations committee. He was also Vice President under the Obama Administration. This experience will be invaluable for the long slog ahead of him.

    His much younger Vice President, Senator Harris, is an accomplished attorney-at-law, who was the District Attorney of the City and County of San Francisco, the Attorney-General of California and currently serves as a US senator for California. Ms. Harris, who is the daughter of an Indian-born mother and Jamaican-born father, had also been a candidate for president in the Democratic primaries this election cycle.

    The long, hard task ahead

    As noted in his victory speech delivered last night in Wilmington, Delaware, President-elect Biden acknowledged the monumental task ahead of healing a politically divided nation, rescuing an economy on the brink and a country plagued by the COVID-19 pandemic and civil unrest.

    Biden’s consistent message of unity and racial equity should bring some comfort to persons of the Caribbean diaspora negatively impacted by the racially charged rhetoric and divisiveness that marked the past four years of the Trump administration. Biden has also repeatedly promised to repair and rebuild relationships with traditional American allies strained under President Trump, such as with the European Union (EU).

    Biden’s win will occasion a pivotal turning point in the US’ approach to the COVID-19 pandemic which the Trump administration epically mishandled. Trump, notably, suspended US funding to the World Health Organization (WHO) and consistently downplayed the seriousness of the virus, even after he himself and many of his White House staffers became infected. In contrast, one of Biden’s first acts will be to announce a 12-person COVID-19 taskforce evincing a more robust response to the virus which has so far infected over 9.5 million Americans and killed 234,000.

    The frequent saying “when America sneezes, the Caribbean catches a cold”, is not an exaggeration given that the US is the region’s largest trading partner, tourism source market and home to the Caribbean’s largest diaspora. Many Caribbean countries, dependent on US tourist arrivals, have had to classify the US as a ‘high risk’ country because of the Trump administration’s bungling of the pandemic.  A better coordinated federal approach to stem the US’ currently high coronavirus infection and death rate should benefit Caribbean countries whose tourism sectors have been particularly hard hit by the economic fall-out from the virus globally.

    On the issue of trade, it is likely that Biden will be less embracing of free trade than under the Obama/Biden administration. This is because there is growing sentiment in the US, especially in the so-called ‘Rustbelt’ states which were key to Biden’s win, that trade has not been a net positive for American workers. That being said,  a more multilateral approach and some semblance of stability and consistency should appear in US trade policy under the incoming Biden administration.

    Unlike his predecessor, Biden has expressed support for the World Trade Organization (WTO) whose relevance and operations have been undermined over the past four years.  One of the Trump administration’s latest acts has been to delay the selection of Nigeria’s Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, the candidate deemed most likely to achieve consensus to be the next WTO Director-General. It remains to be seen whether the Biden administration will support her candidacy.  

    Biden’s victory also means that the Caribbean and the world have regained an ally in the fight against climate change, an ally which is in fact the second largest emitter of carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions. Biden has promised that the US will rejoin the Paris Climate Agreement, which the US negotiated and joined under the Obama/Biden administration and from which his predecessor withdrew just this week. Additionally, he will seek to implement his Plan for Climate Change and Environmental justice which will include measures to limit the US’ greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.

    Biden has also indicated a more humane approach to immigration than the Trump administration which curtailed legal pathways to immigration, implemented the infamous Muslim ban and the equally inhumane family separation policy resulting in some 545 migrant children separated from their parents at the border still to be reunited with their parents.

    The Trump administration also saw US aid cuts to charities and NGOs world-wide, including in the Caribbean. This included a prohibition on aid to those which include abortion advice in the reproductive health services they provide to women. Biden is pro-choice and it is likely this policy will be reversed.

    The less certain…

    There are, of course, several unknowns. On the issue of Cuba, Biden has criticized Trump’s hard-lined approach. While we can assume Biden might take a more conciliatory approach and loosen restrictions similar to what was done under the Obama/Biden administration, it is unknown to what extent he is willing to go the extra step to finally end the US’ decades-old illegal embargo on that island nation.

    Less certain will be Biden’s approach to US-China relations which had always had its ebbs and flows, but escalated into an outright trade war under the Trump administration until the signing of the Phase 1 Trade Deal. Although not all Caribbean countries recognise the People’s Republic of China, that country’s growing economic presence in the Caribbean has been a source of some tension in US-Caribbean relations.

    Venezuela is another ally of the Caribbean which has had strained relations with the US. While it is unclear what would be Biden’s approach to the humanitarian crisis in Venezuela, he is likely to take a more multilateral and cooperative approach than the unilateral approach currently taken by the current administration.   

    Another unknown is where Biden stands on the issue of offshore international financial centres. The Obama/Biden administration had taken a particular harsh stance against Caribbean IFCs, branding them as ‘tax havens’. As I noted in a previous article, while it is hoped that VP Harris’ Caribbean ancestry might have a modulating influence on the administration’s engagement with the Caribbean, it is important for the region to remember first of all that she is an American first.

    Conclusion

    It should also be cautioned that the extent to which Biden will be successful in his legislative agenda will be dependent on whether the Democrats or Republicans control the Senate which is still undecided. That said, the Biden/Harris  presidency will mean a steadier hand at the US ship of state – a marked departure from the erraticism, unilateralism and volatility of the past four years. Like the rest of the world, the Caribbean could at the very least look forward to a more traditional US foreign policy, a more stable if more inward-looking trade policy, and a return to multilateral cooperation on some of the world’s greatest challenges, such as climate change and the COVID-19 pandemic.

    Alicia Nicholls, B.Sc., M.Sc., LL.B. is a trade and development consultant with a keen interest in sustainable development, international law and trade. All views herein expressed are her personal views and should not be attributed to any institution with which she may from time to time be affiliated. You can read more of her commentaries and follow her on Twitter @LicyLaw.

  • Caribbean Trade and Development News Digest – November 1-7, 2020

    Caribbean Trade and Development News Digest – November 1-7, 2020

    Welcome to the Caribbean Trade & Development News Digest for the week of November 1-7, 2020! We are pleased to bring you the major trade and development news headlines and analysis from across the Caribbean Region and the world from the past week.

    THIS WEEK’S HIGHLIGHT

    The WTO General Council this week postponed the meeting it had scheduled for 9 November to consider the appointment of the next WTO Director-General. Nigerian candidate Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala is the candidate for whom the WTO membership expressed support, but her selection was contested by the US. Read more here.

    Come January 20, 2021, the US will have its 46th president. US Democratic Party candidate, former Vice President under the Obama administration and Delaware Senator, Joe Biden, has been declared the President-elect, winning the US presidential election and defeating incumbent Republican president, Donald Trump. Biden’s VP pick, Senator Kamala Harris who is of Indian and Jamaican parentage, will be the female VP and the first person of colour to do so. Of particular interest to the Caribbean is that she is the first person of Caribbean heritage to rise to the office.

    On the other side of the Atlantic, ‘significant differences’ are making a post-Brexit UK-EU deal elusive, says UK PM Boris Johnson. Read more.

    Meanwhile, the UK and Kenya successfully concluded negotiations on a trade deal. Kenya would be the sixth African country with which the UK has secured a post-Brexit trading arrangement. Read more

    Regionally, Prime Minister of St. Vincent & the Grenadines, Dr. Ralph Gonsalves, was elected for an unprecedented 5th term of office. Read more

    REGIONAL NEWS

    Invest Barbados stands by its criticism of EU Blacklisting amid claims it misunderstood the issue

    Barbados Today: Invest Barbados has rubbished claims by a European Union (EU) official that there are “unfounded concerns” and misconceptions about the island’s inclusion on the EU’s list of “non-cooperative jurisdictions for tax purposes”. Read more

    Belize passes historic legislation banning gillnet fishing

    BBN: Тhіѕ wееk, thе Gоvеrnmеnt оf Веlіzе (GОВ) роѕіtіоnеd thе соuntrу аѕ а glоbаl lеаdеr іn ѕuѕtаіnаblе dеvеlорmеnt bу раѕѕіng lеgіѕlаtіоn tо bаn thе uѕе оf gіllnеtѕ, а dеѕtruсtіvе tуре оf fіѕhіng gеаr, frоm bеіng uѕеd іn Веlіzеаn wаtеrѕ. Read more

    CTO launches #TheCaribbeanAwaits campaign for Tourism Month

    LoopTT: The Caribbean Tourism Organization (CTO) has announced a social media campaign dubbed, #TheCaribbeanAwaits, in observance of Caribbean Tourism Month this month. Read more

    Panama and Guyana preparing to join Latin American hemp rush

    BBN: Аѕ аnnоunсеd bу Аttоrnеу Gеnеrаl аnd Міnіѕtеr оf Lеgаl Аffаіrѕ Аnіl Nаndlаll, Guуаnа’ѕ gоvеrnmеnt іѕ rеvіеwіng fеаѕіbіlіtу ѕtudіеѕ аnd hаѕ dіѕсuѕѕеd hеmр trіаlѕ. Іn Раnаmа, gоvеrnmеnt rерrеѕеntаtіvеѕ аnd dерutіеѕ іn thе Nаtіоnаl Аѕѕеmblу аgrееd tо fоrm а соmmіttее tо аnаlуzе hеmр’ѕ роtеntіаl fоr іnduѕtrіаl dеvеlорmеnt durіng dіѕсuѕѕіоnѕ аbоut а рrороѕеd hеmр lаw. Read more

    China and Jamaica extending bilateral trade agreements

    NYCaribNews: During a virtual meeting with China’s Ambassador to Jamaica, Tian Qi on Friday, October 30, Audley Shaw, Minister of Industry, Investment and Commerce, says he is committed to exploring the possibilities of pursuing greater cooperation with the Government of China. Read more

    Jamaica pushing to export pork, other items to China

    Jamaica Observer: The Jamaican Government is targeting the export of pork to China as the Andrew Holness Administration signals its intent to pursue greater cooperation with Beijing in areas of trade. Read more

    Jamaica, other C’bean countries to benefit from value chain intervention

    Jamaica Observer: Jamaica is benefiting from intervention aimed at strengthening the value chain for the production of indigenous black castor oil. Read more

    JSWIFT Project Being Implemented by JCA

    JIS: The Jamaica Single Window for Trade (JSWIFT) Project is at various stages of implementation by the Jamaica Customs Agency (JCA), which is spearheading the initiative’s rollout on behalf of the Government. Read more

    Challenges with CARICOM Bubble with COVID Says Dr. Ralph Gonsalves

    TV6: The chairman of CARICOM says, there is a major challenge with the CARICOM travel bubble allowing scheduled International and regional flights during the COVID-19 pandemic. Read more

    Mariano Browne: Refinery hard to restart

    Newsday: Former trade minister Mariano Browne has said many obstacles exist to a restart of the Pointe-a-Pierre refinery. Read more

    SheTrades Hub to support female entrepreneurs in Trinidad & Tobago

    LoopTT: Government has affirmed its commitment to providing opportunities to female entrepreneurs as part of driving the country’s COVID-19 economic recovery. SheTrades Hub, Trinidad and Tobago, was launched yesterday making this country the first in the Caribbean to officially launch one. Read more

    Saint Lucia, U.S. and Taiwan Deepen Investment and Entrepreneurship Partnerships

    US Embassy: In support of Saint Lucia Business Month, the U.S. and Taiwan embassies joined efforts to explore private investment and entrepreneurship opportunities with Saint Lucia. Read more

    INTERNATIONAL NEWS

    WTO Negotiating Group Hears Brazil’s Proposal on Fisheries Subsidies

    IISD: World Trade Organization (WTO) members continued discussions on addressing harmful fisheries subsidies throughout October. The 20 October meeting of the Negotiating Group on Rules heard a proposal from Brazil on percentage cuts to subsidies, and discussed the issue of proportionality in illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing violations. Read more

    WTO members greenlight EU sanctions against US over Boeing aid

    Euractiv: World Trade Organisation members gave the green light Monday (26 October) for Brussels to slap tariffs on $4.0 billion in US imports annually in retaliation for illegal American aid to plane maker Boeing. Read more

    Africa free trade agreement must be rolled out by January after pandemic delay – Secretariat

    News24: Wamkele Mene, Secretary General of the African Continental Free Trade Area Secretariat told delegates at the annual competition law, economics & policy conference on Wednesday that the Secretariat was at advances stages of concluding phase one of the agreement which deals with the trading of goods and services. Read more

    Rwanda-Ghana Relations to Spur Africa Trade Agenda

    AllAfrica: Rwanda and Ghana have resolved to boost bilateral relations with a broad, varied economic agenda at the core. This week, Foreign Affairs Minister Vincent Biruta was in Ghana to take part in a series of events that officials say will help to strengthen diplomatic and economic cooperation between the two countries. Read more

    Brexit: ‘Significant differences remain’ over trade deal

    BBC: Following a call with EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen on Saturday, the PM said progress had been made but there were still issues around the “level playing field” and fishing. Read more

    Brexit talks remain deadlocked going into decisive week

    The Guardian: The Brexit negotiations remained stuck after a call between Boris Johnson and Ursula von der Leyen before a decisive week of talks. The European commission president and the prime minister both highlighted in their post-call statements the contentious issues of EU access to British waters and agreement on future rules to ensure fair competition. Read more

    Brazil to lead MERCOSUR talks; Deeper cooperation in defence, space, Ayurveda and agriculture, says India’s envoy to Brazil

    Financial Express: To further strengthen their ties, India and Brazil elevated their bilateral relations to a strategic partnership in 2006 and since then the relationship has witnessed an upward trend. President Jair Bolsonaro was the chief guest at the Republic Day this year. Read more

    Argentina wants EU to eliminate zero tariff access for Falklands’ exports

    Mercopress: Argentina held a meeting with the European Union ambassador and 21 of 27 EU members’ representatives in Buenos Aires and formally called for an end of the support for UK Falklands’ sovereignty recognition in the ongoing Brexit negotiations between Brussels and London. Read more

    US soybeans being loaded in Louisiana for Brazil

    Mercopress: A U.S. grain export terminal near Baton Rouge, Louisiana, is loading about 38,000 tons of U.S. soybeans on a bulk cargo vessel for shipment to Brazil, according to Southport Agencies shipping lineup. Read more

    China’s exports surged unexpectedly last month, as pace of import growth cooled off

    South China Morning Post: China’s exports grew by 11.4 per cent in October from a year earlier while imports grew by 4.7 per cent. Read more

    Branding rights on Basmati rice: Pakistan prepares response for European Commission

    The News: Pakistan has prepared a detailed response for submission before the European Commission on December 10, 2020 in order to foil the Indian attempts for obtaining branding rights on Basmati rice, Adviser to PM on Commerce Abdul Razak Dawood said on Friday. Read more

    UK and Kenya secure a trade agreement

    Gov.uk: The UK has moved a step closer to signing a sixth trade deal in Africa today (3 November), as negotiations on a trade deal are finalised with Kenya. The agreement will ensure all companies operating in Kenya, including British businesses, can continue to benefit from duty-free access as they export products including vegetables and flowers to their customers back in the UK. Read more

    UK-Australia trade deal ‘within months’

    The Canberra Times: The United Kingdom hopes to be able to reach a trade agreement with Australia within months, British trade minister Liz Truss says. Read more

    Irish businesses told not to wait for trade deal to prepare for Brexit

    Irish Times: Irish businesses that trade with the UK should not wait until a trade deal has been agreed between the UK and the EU to begin their preparations for Brexit, customs clearance service Declaron has warned. Read more

    RCEP summit on Nov. 15 to discuss trade deal by year-end, without India

    Nikkei: Asian-Pacific leaders representing the nations involved in the proposed Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership will soon discuss reaching a long-awaited agreement by the end of the year, Nikkei learned Friday.

    Thailand ready to attend RCEP trade deal

    Bangkok Post: Thailand is ready to attend the signing of the long-awaited Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) at the 37th Asean Summit under the chairmanship of Vietnam next week. Read more

    Is the Pacific’s new trade deal an early Xmas gift or a double edged sword?

    RNZ: The Australia and New Zealand led PACER Plus, is touted as a trade and development agreement that will strengthen economic development in the region. Nine Pacific countries have signed on to the deal with six having ratified it so far. 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: