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  • 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:

  • US Revises and Resubmits Draft Proposal on Special & Differential Treatment at WTO

    US Revises and Resubmits Draft Proposal on Special & Differential Treatment at WTO

    Alicia Nicholls

    On November 25, 2019, the US recirculated a Draft General Council Decision entitled “Procedures to Strengthen the Negotiating Function of the WTO” for consideration by the World Trade Organization’s General Council – that organisation’s highest decision-making body – at its upcoming December 9-11, 2019 meeting.

    Background

    In recent times, the ability of WTO Members to self-designate as ‘developing countries’, and thereby be eligible for special and differential treatment under the WTO’s agreements, has become increasingly contentious. Thus far, the European Union (EU), Canada, the US and Norway have tabled proposals, which to varying degrees, call for a rethinking or reforming of the current eligibility model for special and differential treatment in the WTO. Developing countries, on the other hand, argue for a retention of the eligibility status quo, while noting that the focus should be on the Doha mandate of ensuring effectiveness of special and differential treatment.

    Earlier this year, the US took the call for reform a step further by not only tabling a lengthy paper in which it argued that self-designation risks condemning the WTO to institutional irrelevance, but followed this up with a draft General Council decision in which it proposed four non-cumulative, exclusionary criteria which would, if approved and implemented, exclude a large number of developing countries from eligibility from special and differential treatment in current and future WTO negotiations.

    Recall also that on July 26, 2019, United States (US) President Donald Trump signed a memorandum on reforming developing country status in the World Trade Organization (WTO). This memorandum mandated the United States Trade Representative (USTR) to secure changes to the current method of WTO members’ eligibility for special and differential treatment (S&DT) in the WTO. Failing this, it outlined specific steps the USTR should take.

    The resubmitted proposal

    The resubmitted proposal dated November 25, 2019 has been slightly amended. It still proposes four exclusionary and non-culminative criteria which, if approved and implemented, would preclude Members meeting any of the criteria from eligibility for special and differential treatment in current or future WTO negotiations or under any of the Agreements coming out of such negotiations. However, criteria three and four have been amended as follows (see bold text):

    i. A WTO Member that is a Member of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), or a WTO Member that has begun the accession process to the OECD;
    ii. A WTO Member that is a member of the Group of 20 (G20);
    iii. A WTO Member that the World Bank has classified as a “high income” country for the three consecutive years immediately prior to the date of this decision or classifies as a “high income” country for a third consecutive year or any three consecutive years thereafter; or
    iv. A WTO Member that accounts for no less than 0.5 per cent of global merchandise trade (imports and exports) for the three consecutive calendar years immediately prior to the date of this decision or for a third consecutive year or any three consecutive years thereafter.

    It also added that “Nothing in this Decision precludes a Member seeking to address particular needs during a current or future WTO negotiation” .

    It is no secret that the US’ main targets are larger emerging economies, such as China and India, which continue to self-designate as developing countries. Indeed, the first two criteria are hardly problematic as a country which is an OECD or G20 member, or is acceding to the OECD, would have a level of economic clout that makes the argument for special and differential treatment unpalatable. Additionally, criterion 4 is meant to capture a number of emerging economies with shares of world merchandise trade of 0.5 percent or more.

    But much like the original proposal, criterion 3 of this revised proposal still unfortunately manages to potentially capture a few small States which really are deserving of special and differential treatment.

    Currently, four Caribbean countries (Antigua & Barbuda, Barbados, St. Kitts & Nevis and Trinidad & Tobago), and small States like Brunei Darussalam and Seychelles, which are presently classified as “high income” countries by the World Bank for lending purposes could potentially still be excluded from special and differential treatment if they have been classified by the World Bank as “high income” for a third consecutive year or any three consecutive years thereafter .

    The “high income” and the “upper middle income” classifications, have always been problematic for the Caribbean because they rely primarily on GNI per capita, an ineffective measure of development. It has been on this ineffective criterion that some Caribbean countries have been excluded from much needed concessionary financing.

    Introducing such a criterion into the WTO for the basis of determining development level would only continue this injustice. It would also be manifestly ‘anti-development’ because it would exclude these small countries from accessing flexibilities, such as longer transition times and technical assistance, needed in order to meet their WTO commitments under future WTO agreements.

    Moreover, these countries are too small to have any appreciable ability to affect or distort global trade. Perhaps it may be best to either remove the “high income” criterion from the US proposal, or at the very least, link it with another criterion like criterion four.

    On another note, the General Council will also, inter alia, be considering a draft decision on the functioning of the Appellate Body in a last ditch effort to save the WTO’s appellate jurisdiction.

    Alicia Nicholls, B.Sc., M.Sc., LL.B., is an international trade and development consultant with a keen interest in sustainable development, international law and trade. You can also read more of her commentaries and follow her on Twitter @LicyLaw.

    DISCLAIMER: All views expressed herein are her personal views and do not necessarily reflect the views of any institution or entity with which she may be affiliated from time to time.

  • Caribbean Trade & Development News Digest – November 24 – 30, 2019

    Caribbean Trade & Development News Digest – November 24 – 30, 2019

    Welcome to the Caribbean Trade & Development News Digest for the week of November 24-30, 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

    At the WTO’s Dispute Settlement Body meeting on 22 November, some 117 WTO members have again called for a launch of the process for filling vacancies on the Appellate Body, which is currently at three members and is set to lose 2 other members when their terms end on December 10. If this happens, the WTO AB will no longer have a quorum to hear appeals. Read more here.

    On 27 November the WTO held a conference to mark the 30th anniversary of the Trade Policy Review Mechanism (TPRM). Read more here. The WTO also held its fourth Natural Disasters and Trade symposium on 29 November. Read more here.

    And lastly, it would be remiss of me if I did not say Happy Independence to my country Barbados which celebrated its 53rd year of independence on November 30! Barbados, as you may know, will be co-hosting the UNCTAD XV quadrennial with the United Arab Emirates in October, 2020.

    REGIONAL NEWS

    Government launches Belize’s 1st National Investment Policy and Strategy

    Breaking Belize News: Тhе Gоvеrnmеnt оf Веlіzе (GОВ) thrоugh thе Міnіѕtrу rеѕроnѕіblе fоr Іnvеѕtmеnt, Тrаdе аnd Соmmеrсе, ВЕLТRАІDЕ аnd thе САRІСОМ Dеvеlорmеnt Fund (СDF) wіll lаunсh thе Веlіzе Nаtіоnаl Іnvеѕtmеnt Роlісу аnd Ѕtrаtеgу (NІРЅ) оn Моndау, Dесеmbеr 2, 2019, аt 10 аm аt thе Веѕt Wеѕtеrn Віltmоrе Рlаzа іn Веlіzе Сіtу. Read more

    Why the WTO Appellate Body Crisis Matters to the Caribbean

    CARICOM Today: The Appellate Body (AB) of the World Trade Organization (WTO) – the final court charged with hearing appeals on points of law at the WTO – faces an existential crisis. On 10 December 2019, the terms of two of its remaining three members – the quorum needed to adjudicate an appeal – will expire. Read more

    Guyana commits to direct flights from C’bean to Africa

    News Room: The Governments of Guyana and Ghana Friday morning signed an Air Services Agreement, paving the way for direct flights between the two countries. Read more

    Barbados ‘ready for Brexit EPA’, says Husbands

    Barbados Today: Barbados is ready to take full advantage of an Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) with post-Brexit Britain, Minister of Foreign Trade Sandra Husbands has declared. Read more

    Barbados, Ghana explore business opportunities

    Joy Online: Trade and investment relations between Ghana and Barbados has received a further boost with the signing of a partnership agreement between an indigenous Ghanaian firm and its counterpart from Barbados. Read more

    Ghana: Govt Completes Recruitment of 120 Nurses for Barbados

    AllAfrica: The Ministry of Health (MOH) has completed the recruitment processes to send the first batch of 120 qualified nurses to work in the Caribbean nation of Barbados. Read more

    Bridgetown and Tema sign agreement establishing sister-port

    Joy Online: Ghana and Barbados on Friday, November 15, 2019, signed an agreement establishing a sister-port relationship between the two cities to facilitate the expansion of trade between the two countries, especially trade transiting through Barbados from Ghana and onward to other Caribbean and Latin America destination ports. Read more

    Ghana, Barbados sign agreement to boost e-commerce

    Ghanaweb: In its quest to facilitate the expansion of trade and investment between Ghana and Barbados, an indigenous Ghanaian firm and its counterpart from Barbados have signed a partnership agreement to boost e-commerce within the two countries. Read more

    US Envoy Says Jamaica Ready For Greater Investment Flow From The North; Hails Improvements In Local Economy

    Jamaica Gleaner: The United States envoy in Jamaica says the prospects for greater investments by his country on the island have never been better, pointing to major improvements in the local economy and efforts by the government to make it easier to do business. Read more

    Jamaica Re-Elected To Powerful Category C Of IMO Council

    Jamaica Gleaner: Jamaica was re-elected to Category C of the Council of the International Maritime Organization (IMO), confirming the island’s position at the centre of international maritime legislature. Read more

    Exclusive: Caribbean officials linked to diplomatic passport sale

    Al Jazeera: Politicians in the Caribbean are said to be involved in a corrupt trade of diplomatic posts in exchange for money, an Al Jazeera investigation has revealed. Read more

    COTED decision a lifeline for CARICOM sugar

    Jamaica Observer: Directors of the Sugar Association of the Caribbean (SAC) are due to meet in early December to reflect on the 49th Meeting of The Council for Trade and Economic Development (COTED) outcomes, which agreed to the incremental enforcement of tariffs on imported white sugar as and when the region produces it. Read more

    No 40% CARICOM tariff on white sugar until regional producers can supply – Dookhoo

    Stabroek: The Council for Trade and Eco-nomic Development (COTED) of CARICOM will not erect a 40% common external tariff (CET) against extra-regional white sugar until regional producers are able to supply the quantity and quality needed by regional manufacturers for their food and beverages operations. Read more

    INTERNATIONAL NEWS

    Top Japan negotiator says it is not considering signing RCEP trade pact without India

    Strait Times: Japan is not considering signing a regional trade pact without India at this juncture, the top Japanese negotiator said on Friday (Nov 29), ahead of a series of diplomatic exchanges in the coming weeks that include a visit to Delhi by Prime Minister Shinzo Abe. Read more

    China small manufacturers’ rising exports to Africa help offset plunging sales to US amid trade war

    South China Morning Post: Growing optimism is spreading among some small Chinese manufacturers in sectors ranging from car parts to textiles, as a spike in exports to countries involved in the Belt and Road Initiative is starting to offset a portion of lost demand from the United States due to the trade war. Read more

    General election 2019: Second Brexit referendum will be needed unless a majority is won, report says

    iNews: The Conservatives have said a second referendum is off the table, but academics believe it’s their only option unless they win a majority. Read more

    With the WTO Appellate Body Becoming Dysfunctional on December 11, What Happens to Pending Appeals and Other Open Issues?

    WITA: There was another WTO Dispute Settlement Body (“DSB”) meeting on November 22, 2019. In addition to the normal agenda item of receiving reports and comments by other members on the status of implementation of recommendations on disputes where reports had previously been adopted by the DSB, there were a number of other agenda items, one of which was not addressed. Read more

    Japan indicates efforts on to address India’s concerns over RCEP

    Economic Times: Japan on Sunday gave clear indications that efforts were on to make India join the ambitious Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP), saying all member countries of the grouping were committed to address New Delhi’s concerns. Read more

    Rwanda’s port – creating a hub for Intra-African trade

    Euronews: One of the largest dry ports (30 hectares) in-land in Africa is working towards a different kind of management system to create a faster and more efficient process for its customers. It means landlocked countries will be free from market-barriers. Read more

    ITFC seeks to boost Arab-Africa trade

    GTR: The International Islamic Trade Finance Corporation (ITFC) has committed to a credit facility agreement worth US$100mn with the African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank). Read more

    New move to boost trade between Ireland and Africa

    Irish Times: Plans are afoot to increase the value of two-way trade between the Republic of Ireland and Africa to at least €5 billion by 2025. Read more

    AfCFTA: Boosting intra-regional trade in goods and services

    Business Report: According to new research from Baker McKenzie and Oxford Economics – AfCFTA’s $3 trillion (R44.18trln) Opportunity: Weighing Existing Barriers against Potential Economic Gains – many opportunities for increasing intraregional trade exist in Africa, in goods and services. Read more

    Morocco, Turkey Launch Negotiations to Save Free Trade Agreement

    Morocco World News: Turkey and Morocco appear to have launched negotiations to maintain their in-question Free Trade Agreement with the aim of “rebalancing” trade terms and satisfying both parties. Read more

    South Korea’s export decline suggests no easing up on world trade slump yet

    Business Times: South Korea’s exports, a closely watched bellwether for world trade, fell more than expected in November, dealing a blow to nascent optimism that a prolonged slump in global demand may be bottoming out. Read more

    Japanese and South Korean trade officials to hold export control talks in December

    The Japan Times: Senior trade officials from Japan and South Korea will meet next month to discuss Tokyo’s tightened controls on tech-related exports to its neighbor, trade minister Hiroshi Kajiyama said Friday. Read more

    USMCA: Ratification is getting there but ‘difficult issues’ remain

    Financial Post: The push to ratify a new North American trade pact is “getting there” Mexico’s top negotiator says, though some “difficult issues” remain as U.S. Democrats continue to insist on stronger labour enforcement. Read more

    U.S., Canada, Mexico Meet to Push for Final Agreement on USMCA

    Bloomberg: The White House pushed Wednesday to wrap final negotiations with Democrats on President Donald Trump’s top legislative priority, the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement, in meetings with top Mexican and Canadian officials. Read more

    Lower trade barriers helped faster economic and wage growth in Latin America, IDB report

    Mercopress: Latin America and Caribbean region saw faster economic and wage growth thanks to a lowering of trade barriers, a new report by the Inter-American Development Bank shows. The study also provides policy recommendations to ensure the region is better positioned to take advantage of trade liberalization and make its benefits more tangible to citizens. Read more

    Making EU trade deals work for citizens

    EUObserver: As global trade disputes increase, protectionism is on the rise, and climate protection becomes a mainstream political objective, trade is becoming an increasingly political topic. 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:

  • Barbados Lower House passes UK-CARIFORUM Bill

    Barbados Lower House passes UK-CARIFORUM Bill

    Alicia Nicholls

    On Tuesday, November 26th, the Barbados House of Assembly at its 57th sitting debated and passed the Economic Partnership Agreement Bill, 2019. Barbados signed the UK-CARIFORUM EPA in March 2019, and this week’s debate was part of the domestic ratification process. The bill is now before the Senate – the Upper Chamber of the country’s bicameral legislature. Once the bill is passed by the Senate and assented to by the Governor-General, it will have the force of law domestically in Barbados.

    The UK-CARIFORUM EPA was the result of technical discussions entered into between the UK Government and CARIFORUM (CARICOM plus the Dominican Republic) countries to roll over the provisions of the EU-CARIFORUM EPA. This was to ensure that CARIFORUM goods and services would continue to benefit from preferential access to the UK market once the UK formally leaves the EU and the EU-CARIFORUM EPA no longer applies to UK-CARIFORUM trade. To date, the UK has completed 19 similar ‘continuity’ agreements cover 49 countries and territories, and accounting for just over 8% of its total trade.

    Leading off the debate, Minister in the Ministry of Foreign Trade, the Hon. Sandra Husbands, M.P., noted that the loss of preferential access to the UK market post-Brexit would have negatively impacted Barbados’ exports to the UK – one of Barbados’ top trading partners. She highlighted that Barbados’ major exports to the UK were sugar and rum, optical parts, condiments, mauby and biscuits. She drew attention to the important role played by the Barbadian diaspora in the UK. She also highlighted that preserving UK-Barbados trade was key to ensuring continued employment in these sectors in Barbados.

    Minister Husbands further lamented the very modest impact the EU-CARIFORUM EPA has had on UK-CARIFORUM trade, and UK-Barbados trade in particular. She contrasted Barbados and CARICOM’s limited performance with that of the Dominican Republic which has seen much greater trade and investment flows with the EU following the EPA.

    The presentation by Minister in the Ministry of Foreign Trade, the Hon. Sandra Husbands, MP. and the ensuing debate may be watched here:

    Alicia Nicholls, B.Sc., M.Sc., LL.B., is an international trade and development consultant with a keen interest in sustainable development, international law and trade. You can also read more of her commentaries and follow her on Twitter @LicyLaw.

    DISCLAIMER: All views expressed herein are her personal views and do not necessarily reflect the views of any institution or entity with which she may be affiliated from time to time.