Caribbean Trade Law and Development

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  • Caribbean Trade & Development News Digest – June 2-8, 2019

    Caribbean Trade & Development News Digest – June 2-8, 2019

    Welcome to the Caribbean Trade & Development News Digest for the week of June 2 – 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 TRADE HIGHLIGHTS

    After threatening to impose tariffs on Mexico if that country does not stem illegal migration to the US, the Trump Administration this week announced that US and Mexico have reached a deal. Read the Joint Declaration here.

    The WTO issued its Annual Report 2018, as well as its updated one page dispute settlement case summaries (1995-2018) accessible here.

    St. Vincent & the Grenadines was elected to the UN Security Council, becoming the smallest nation ever to hold a Security Council seat. Read the press release here.

    On June 6 and 7, 2019, the United States and the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) held the eighth meeting of the United States-CARICOM Trade and Investment Council (TIC). Read release here.

    The Thirty-Sixth Meeting of the CARICOM Council for Human and Social Development (COHSOD) was Thursday and Friday (June 6-7, 2019) to discuss matters in relation to Culture within CARICOM. Read here.

    REGIONAL NEWS

    Expanding China-Caribbean trade

    Barbados Today: Economic and political ties between the People’s Republic of China (China) and the Caribbean as a whole have undergone a substantial deepening in recent years. Read more

    Grenada nutmeg gets FDA approval

    Nation News: Chairman of the Grenada Cooperative Nutmeg Association (GCNA), Leo Cato says Grenada now has the opportunity to exploit the market in the United States, having recently passed inspection by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Read more

    Trump admin imposes new travel restrictions on Cuba, banning cruise ships

    CNN: The US announced major new restrictions on US citizens traveling to Cuba on Tuesday, blocking the most common way Americans are able to visit the island — through organized tour groups that license US citizens to travel automatically — and banning US cruise ships from stopping in the country. Read more

    Government Pursuing Programme to Facilitate Trade

    JIS: Industry, Commerce, Agriculture and Fisheries Minister, Hon. Audley Shaw, says the Government has commenced a programme of trade facilitation to increase Jamaica’s chances of global competitiveness. Read more

    Trade Information Portal to be Promoted Heavily at Diaspora Conference

    JIS: Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade Minister, Senator the Hon. Kamina Johnson Smith, says the Jamaica Trade Information Portal (JTIP) will be promoted heavily to members of the diaspora at the upcoming Eighth Biennial Jamaica Diaspora Conference. Read more

    BP Payments to Government more than doubled last year

    Saturday Express: Though still far below 2013 levels, the country’s largest natural gas producer more than doubled its contribution to the Government coffers last year to US$360.5 million from US$148.7 million the year before, London-listed BP plc’s Payment to Governments declaration showed last week. Read more

    GRDB rejects Suriname envoy’s reported rice plague statement

    Stabroek News: The Guyana Rice Development Board today “categorically” rejected statements in Suriname’s De Ware Tijd’s, dwtonline quoting Suriname’s Ambassador to Guyana Ebu Jones as saying that an insect plague has broken out in the rice sector. Read more

    Post COTED 48: Highlights of the Agenda

    Directorate General for Foreign Trade (Belize): The 48th Regular Ministerial Meeting of the Council of Trade and Economic Development (COTED) was recently held in Georgetown, Guyana from 29th to 30th April, 2019. COTED, a collection of Trade Ministers designated by member states, is the organ of the Caribbean Community tasked with the responsibility of promoting trade and economic development in the Community. Read more

    CARICOM, Indonesia strengthen ties

    CARICOM Today: A new chapter in the growing friendship between the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) and Indonesia was opened on Friday 31 May 2019, as CARICOM Secretary-General, Ambassador Irwin LaRocque accredited a new envoy of the Southeast Asian country. Read more

    Antigua and Barbuda signs CARIFORUM-UK EPA with UK

    Antigua News Room: Antigua and Barbuda has today signed the CARIFORUM-UK Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA), the trade continuity agreement signed between the UK and a series of countries in the Caribbean on 22 March, and in the UK in April. Read more

    Gopee-Scoon pushes US investment in T&T

    The Guardian: Trade and In­dus­try Min­is­ter, Paula Gopee-Scoon is pro­mot­ing T&T’s in­vest­ment op­por­tu­ni­ties to US firms in­ter­est­ed in ex­pand­ing their busi­ness­es in the Caribbean. Read more

    Duck virus triggers poultry ban from Guyana

    Trinidad Express: Trinidad & Tobago Agriculture Minister Clarence Rambharat has announced an immediate ban on raw and cooked poultry originating from Guyana. Read more

    CDB support for regional trade facilitation initiative

    Nation News: Making regional trade easier is the goal of a recent grant which the Caribbean Development Bank (CDB) approved for the Caribbean Community (CARICOM). Read more

    Regional Ministers of Culture, Officials to meet in Guyana for COHSOD this week

    CARICOM today: The Council for Human and Social Development (COHSOD), will gathehr for its Thirty-Sixth Meeting on Thursday and Friday (June 6-7, 2019) to discuss matters in relation to Culture within CARICOM. Read more

    CARICOM-US Relations: What Of CBI?

    Jamaica Gleaner: You will recall from previous articles that the Caribbean Basin Initiative (CBI) comprises the Caribbean Basin Economic Recovery Act (CBERA) and the Caribbean Basin Trade Partnership Act (CBPTA). CBERA’s duration is indefinite, but CBPTA, which amends provisions of CBERA, will expire on September 30, 2020 and would need to be extended. Read more

    Guyana Livestock Authority Says Trinidad’s Poultry Ban ‘Ill-Advised’

    Jamaica Gleaner: A recent ban on poultry from Guyana by the Government of Trinidad and Tobago has been described as “ill-advised and premature”. Read more

    Mobile number portability for ECTEL Member States

    CARICOM Today: All member states of the Eastern Caribbean Telecommunications Authority (ECTEL), will have access to Mobile Number Portability (MNP), as of Monday. Read more

    Duty-free concessions for entertainers

    Nation News: Local entertainers have been granted duty-free concessions. Days before the official launch of Crop Over 2019, Minister of Culture, Sports and the Creative Economy, John King made the announcement at the National Cultural Foundation (NCF) this afternoon. Read more

    Guyana Agreement remembered on ACP day

    CARICOM Today: Friday, June 7, 2019 is celebrated as ACP Day. The Georgetown Agreement establishing the African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) Group of States was signed on Friday, June 6, 1975 in Georgetown, Guyana. Read more

    BIDC Buyers’ Programme opens doors, facilitates new opportunities for local manufacturers

    Barbados Advocate: The fourth Buyers’ Programme now in its fourth year, is being hosted by the Barbados Investment and Development Corporation in collaboration with the Barbados Manufacturers’ Association and the Caribbean Export Development Agency. It is intended to be a supporting activity for BMEX which takes place over the weekend. Read more

    ACP-EU Partnership – Group of 79 Insists On Long-Term Trade Relations

    AllAfrica: The African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) Group of states has recognised the importance of maintaining long-term trade relations with the European Union (EU) on the one hand, and with the United Kingdom (UK) on the other hand, which are beneficial to all stakeholders. Read more

    INTERNATIONAL NEWS

    Rare Earths Battle Looms as U.S. Aims to Counter China Export Threat

    Bloomberg: The U.S. and China are heading for a stand-off over critical minerals used in everything from washing machines to military hardware. Read more

    US sanctions on Cuba could hurt Spanish hotel operators

    Deutsche Welle: The Trump administration is imposing tougher sanctions on Cuba, a move that could have serious consequences for Spanish hotel chains operating on the island. How will it affect locals who work in the tourism industry? Read more

    African free trade – ready for the next steps?

    Deutsche Welle: Africa’s new free trade zone only exists on paper. Ministers from the 23 signatory countries are now discussing its implementation. Africa’s biggest economies are not at the table. Read more

    Canada appeals WTO ruling on U.S. lumber duties: official

    Reuters: Canada has appealed against a World Trade Organization (WTO) panel ruling in a case it lost in April that would allow the United States to use “zeroing” to calculate anti-dumping tariffs on lumber, a WTO official said on Wednesday. Read more

    Trump sees possible U.S.-UK trade deal once UK removes ‘shackles’

    Reuters: U.S. President Donald Trump said during his visit to London on Monday that the United States and Britain could soon negotiate a trade deal. Read more

    Nigel Farage to send own team to US for Brexit trade deal talks as UK ‘inferior’
    Express: Farage will pull together his own delegation and send it to Washington to strike a trade deal with the US after it “dawned on” him that the Americans have done their homework and have the upper hand in negotiations. Read more

    Argentina, Brazil say free trade accord with EU at hand

    Yahoo News: The presidents of Argentina and Brazil said Thursday that an agreement is imminent on a free trade agreement between the European Union and the South American trading bloc Mercosur. Read more

    Bill Morneau’s hasty bill to protect the steel industry carries risks

    CBC (Canada): The broad political support greasing the wheels of C-101, Finance Minister Bill Morneau’s new legislation to change Canada’s trade safeguard rules, may obscure the calculated risk the Liberal government is taking with its strategy to protect the steel industry. Read more

    U.S. tightens Venezuela oil sanctions, indicates more actions to come

    Reuters: The U.S. Treasury Department on Thursday tightened its pressure on Venezuela’s state-owned oil company by making clear that exports of diluents by international shippers could be subject to U.S. sanctions. Read more

    In Full: China’s White Paper on U.S. Economic and Trade Talks

    Bloomberg: On Sunday June 2, China released a government white paper of more than 5,000 words on its trade talks with the U.S. and Vice-Minister of Commerce Wang Shouwen held a press conference to discuss the matter that day. What follows is an English translation of the paper. Read more

    U.S. Trade Representative and the U.S. Department of Treasury respond to the “White Paper” issued by China on June 2, 2019

    USTR: The United States is disappointed that the Chinese have chosen in the “White Paper” issued yesterday and recent public statements to pursue a blame game misrepresenting the nature and history of trade negotiations between the two countries. To understand where the parties are and where they can go, it is necessary to understand the history that has led to the current impasse. Read more

    Trade tensions have hit cargo demand in Asia, but there’s a silver lining for regional airlines, experts say

    CNBC: The ongoing trade war between the United States and China is negatively affecting air cargo demand for Asian airlines, according to the director general of the Association of Asia Pacific Airlines, a regional trade body. Read more

    There’s only a ‘very small’ chance of a no-deal Brexit, says UK’s Hammond

    CNBC: The probability of the U.K. leaving the European Union without a deal is “very small,” according to Philip Hammond, Britain’s chancellor of the exchequer. Read more

    China’s Xi says world’s multilateral trade system must be protected

    Reuters: Chinese President Xi Jinping called on Friday for world powers to protect the global multilateral trade system and said it was important to find a solution to trade disputes despite disagreements. Read more

    World trade is projected to grow 2.6 per cent in 2019: WTO

    Gulf Today: Mounting trade tensions, an increase in trade-restrictive measures and continuing economic uncertainty created real challenges for world trade in 2018, with trade projected to grow by just 2.6 per cent this year, according to the 2019 World Trade Organisation, WTO, report. Read more

    UK calls for progress in reforming global trade rules at G20

    Gov.uk: Dr Liam Fox, International Trade Secretary, is attending the G20 Ministerial meeting on Trade and Digital Economy in Tsukuba, Japan this weekend (Saturday 8 to Sunday 9 June). Read more

    G20 finance chiefs to warn of trade risks, but differ on how ‘pressing’ they are

    CBC (Canada): Global trade tensions threaten an expected pick-up in economic growth this year and in 2020, a draft communiqué by the world’s financial leaders showed on Saturday, but the policymakers were divided on whether the need to resolve them was “pressing.” Read more

    G20 ministers agree on guiding principles for using artificial intelligence

    Japan Times: Ministers from the Group of 20 major economies Saturday kicked off two days of meetings on trade and the digital economy, during which they agreed on guiding principles for using artificial intelligence. They also faced another round of discussions likely to highlight divisions over trade issues such as reform of the World Trade Organization. Read more

    EU to propose workaround to avoid U.S. block on WTO judges: document

    Reuters: The European Union is set to propose creating a shadow system to get around a U.S. block on appeals in disputes at the World Trade Organization (WTO), according to a draft proposal circulated to national lawmakers. Read more

    Canada endorses plan to stop Trump administration from disrupting WTO: trade minister

    Global News: Canada’s trade minister is endorsing a European Union plan to prevent the Trump administration from paralyzing the World Trade Organization’s dispute-settlement body later this year. Read more

    India may oppose efforts to seal trade deal at G20 meet

    Livemint: Attempts by the US, Japan and Australia to finalize a new trade deal, scrapping curbs on data flows, at the G20 trade ministers’ meeting in Japan this weekend, could prompt a push-back from India and other developing countries. Read more

    Trump says U.S. and Mexico reach last-minute deal to avoid tariffs

    CBS: Mexico has agreed to U.S. demands that it tighten its borders to stop the flow of illegal Central American immigrants from coming into the U.S. through mexico. The deal suspends steep tariffs on imported Mexican goods that were to go into effect on Monday. Read more

    Trade Tensions Worry Ship Operators

    Wall Street Journal: Global ship operators that normally begin the summer preparing for peak shipping season instead are bracing for a surge in tariffs. Read more

    Trump: Britain’s NHS should be ‘on the table’ in trade deal talks

    Al Jazeera: On the second day of his state visit to the United Kingdom, Trump also said the National Health Service (NHS) should be included in any post-Brexit trade deal with the US. Read more

    WTO NEWS

    • Women's access to international markets to be spotlighted at MC14 high-level event
      by WTO
      A high-level event on women and trade will be held on the margins of the 14th WTO Ministerial Conference in Yaoundé, Cameroon, on 25 March to bring together women entrepreneurs, development partners and WTO members. Registration for the event – which will feature the work of the WTO Informal Working Group on Trade and Gender, […]
    • Members endorse draft MC14 decision on boosting small economies' participation in trade
      by WTO
      WTO members agreed on 17 February on a draft decision for approval at the 14th Ministerial Conference (MC14) in March on improving the integration of small economies into the world trading system. Adopted at a meeting of the Committee on Trade and Development's Dedicated Session on Small Economies, it is the first draft decision to […]
    • Members discuss new approaches, share experiences on reforming fossil fuel subsidies
      by WTO
      At a meeting on 16 February, WTO members participating in the Fossil Fuel Subsidy Reform (FFSR) initiative continued exploring new approaches to reforming fossil fuel subsidies and examining the effects of subsidies provided to emissions-intensive sectors. Members reaffirmed the importance of enhancing transparency through greater information and experience sharing.

    NEW ON CTLD BLOG


    The Caribbean Trade & Development Digest is a weekly trade news digest published by the Caribbean Trade Law & Development Blog. Liked this issue? To read past issues, please visit here. To receive these mailings directly to your inbox, please subscribe to our Blog below:

  • Caribbean Trade & Development News Digest – May 26 – June 1, 2019

    Caribbean Trade & Development News Digest – May 26 – June 1, 2019

    Welcome to the Caribbean Trade & Development News Digest for the week of May 26 – June 1, 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 TRADE HIGHLIGHTS

    The Africa Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) went into effect on May 30, 2019! Read more here.

    The Trump Administration has threatened to impose tariffs on goods imports coming from Mexico unless the latter stops illegal immigration through its border. Read more

    The US also removed Turkey and India from eligibility from the US Generalised System of Preferences (US GSP) which accords non-reciprocal preferential access to the US market for certain goods imports from eligible developing countries.

    REGIONAL NEWS

    New catfish export regulations for discussion with US officials

    Stabroek News: The Fisheries Department of the Ministry of Agriculture is to discuss new regulations to enable Guyana to resume exporting catfish, with the US Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) this week. Read more

    ‘Unknown’ forces siphoning gold out of Guyana

    Stabroek: Activities in the mining sector and the corresponding production levels do not match the amount of gold being declared to the Guyana Gold Board (GGB) and the entity has begun to go into the mining districts to buy the precious metal while also tightening up security measures for exports. Read more

    Imports down by a little, exports up by a lot, says Statistical Institute of Belize

    Breaking Belize News: Belize’s imports were down while exports were up by 80% for the month of April, according to the latest data released by the Statistical Institute of Belize (SIB). Read more

    Government to assess the economic impact of Vincy mas

    OECS Business News: The government of St. Vincent and the Grenadines will assess the economic impact of Vincy Mas, the nation’s annual festival in now in progress. Read more

    CARICOM chairman speaks out on corresponding banking

    Jamaica Observer: The chairman of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), Prime Minister Dr Timothy Harris says one the biggest economic and financial challenges facing the 15-member grouping is the practice engaged by the large global commercial banks to terminate their corresponding banking services. Read more

    As exports decrease and imports increase, Holness urges investors not to give up on Caricom

    Jamaica Observer: The Jamaican Government has said it would support investors in their quest to penetrate the Caribbean Community (Caricom) market, which it said “sometimes can be a more difficult market than exporting to Nigeria and Mauritius”. Read more

    PM Urges CARICOM Pushback – Says Jamaican Businesses Shafted By Trade Partners

    Jamaica Gleaner: Seeking to bolster the confidence of Jamaican businesses eager to deepen their export footprint across the Caribbean, Prime Minister Andrew Holness urged investors to push back at perceived structural or cultural barriers to trade by regional partners. Read more

    Labour reform: Foreign companies must give locals top positions to operate in BVI

    BVI News: Investors who establish new businesses in the British Virgin Islands will soon be required to grant their company’s senior management positions to BVIslanders/Belongers. Read more

    CARICHAM requests Extension of CBERA

    Dominica Vibes: The Network of Caribbean Chambers of Commerce (CARICHAM) is pleased to announce that we have submitted a letter to the United States International Trade Commission (USITC) on 28 May 2019, requesting an extension of the Caribbean Basin Economic Recovery Act (CBERA) and Caribbean Basin Trade Partnership Act (CBTPA). Read more

    Divisions in CARICOM ‘suicidal’

    Barbados Today: A prominent champion of regional integration has waded into the debate over the Caribbean Community’s position on the political unrest in Venezuela, with a warning to regional leaders that “fragmentation is suicidal”. Read more

    Caricom sugar producers want less extra-regional imports

    Jamaica Observer: Regional sugar producers are making an urgent appeal for policy changes to address the large amounts of extra-regional sugar being consumed in Caribbean Community (Caricom) member countries. Read more


    INTERNATIONAL NEWS

    Canada begins process to ratify USMCA trade deal

    Washington Examiner: Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau formally introduced legislation to his country’s parliament Wednesday to ratify the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement on trade. Read more

    U.S. President Donald Trump terminates preferential trade status for India under GSP

    The Hindu: A day after a group of journalists was told that India’s access to preferential trade terms under the U.S.’s Generalized System of Preferences (GSP) was on its way out, U.S. President Donald Trump issued a proclamation ending the trade benefits effective June 5. Read more

    ‘The US has backtracked’: China releases official document blaming America for the trade war

    CNBC: China took a firm official stance against the United States on trade on Sunday, issuing a white paper that illustrates a widening gap between the two sides. Read more

    US ends special trade treatment for India amid tariff dispute

    BBC: The US will end preferential trade status for India next week, President Donald Trump has confirmed amid a deepening row over protectionism. Read more

    Trump Defends Trade Moves, Says Tariff Is ‘a Beautiful Word’

    Bloomberg: Self-professed “Tariff Man” President Donald Trump on Saturday defended his decisions to impose or raise levies against imports from Mexico and China, respectively, saying “companies are moving to the U.S.” to avoid paying the levies, and that “TARIFF is a beautiful word indeed!” Read more

    China to release blacklist of US firms as trade war intensifies

    Al Jazeera: On Saturday, China raised tariffs up to 25 percent on $60bn of US imports. Read more

    WTO NEWS

    NEW ON CTLD BLOG

    The Caribbean Trade & Development Digest is a weekly trade news digest published by the Caribbean Trade Law & Development Blog. Liked this issue? To read past issues, please visit here. To receive these mailings directly to your inbox, please subscribe to our Blog below:

  • Caribbean Trade & Development News Digest – May 19-25, 2019

    Caribbean Trade & Development News Digest – May 19-25, 2019

    Welcome to the Caribbean Trade & Development News Digest for the week of May 19-25, 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 TRADE HIGHLIGHTS

    On the Brexit front, the biggest, but not entirely shocking news for the week was the announcement by UK Prime Minister Theresa May that she will be stepping down from office on June 7, 2019. Her full resignation speech may be viewed here.

    The OECD in its latest Economic Outlook noted the impact of the global trade tensions on the global economy. Access the press release and the report here.

    Looking regionally, Trinidad & Tobago this week underwent its 4th WTO Trade Policy Review. Read more here.

    REGIONAL TRADE NEWS

    Barbados approves importation of medical cannabis

    Caribbean News Now: The ministry of health and wellness has approved five medicinal marijuana drugs submitted by the drug formulary committee to be placed on the National Drug Formulary. The drugs will be imported by the Barbados Drug Service. Read more

    Grenada real estate resale changes spur CBI market freehold, leasehold, trust certificates qualify for resale

    Caribbean News Now: The government of Grenada’s re-alignment of the minimum investment requirement for the real estate option (for certain developments) of the country’s citizenship by investment (CBI) program from US$350,000 to US$220,000 has spurred the market, say experts. Read more

    Caribbean leaders will lead on climate resilience – PM Mitchell in CNN opinion

    CARICOM Today: Grenada and other Small Island Developing States are on the front line in the war against climate change. Although hurricanes are no stranger to the Caribbean, the overwhelming scientific evidence of how extreme weather conditions are worsening due to global warming shows that we need to take the signals that our Earth is sending us seriously. Read more

    BELTRAIDE hosts 1st SHEMentors Networking Event

    Breaking Belize News: The Belize Trade and Investment Development Service (BELTRAIDE) through support from the Regional Center of Promotion for MSME (CENPROMYPE) is hosting a women’s mentorship networking event today in Belize city. Read more

    Minister of Trade speaks on expansion of Freezone

    LoveFM: The Corozal Freezone has not really been the “talk of the town,” and, in fact, is in dire need of some TLC. The Freezone has not been forgotten, however, as there are big plans in the making to not only expand but also to revamp it. Minister of Trade, Tracy Taegar-Panton, met with the Freezone’s board of director last Friday, and today, she told us more about what was discussed. Read more

    EU Statement at the 4th Trade Policy Review of Trinidad and Tobago, 22 May 2019

    EU: On behalf of the European Union I would like to welcome Trinidad and Tobago’s Delegation, led by H.E. Senator the Honourable Paula Gopee-Scoon, Minister of Trade and Industry and the Discussant, H.E. Mr. Michael Gaffey (Ireland), for his introductory words. Read more

    Trade and Industry advocates for small economies at the WTO

    MTI: Minister of Trade and Industry, Senator the Honourable Paula Gopee-Scoon expressed a need for the World Trade Organisation (WTO) to adopt a pragmatic approach that takes due cognizance of the unique issues of Small and Vulnerable Economies (SVEs). Read more

    Stop The Wto ‘Scare Tactics’

    Tribune242: Carey Leonard, the former Grand Bahama Port Authority (GBPA) in-house counsel, told Tribune Business there was plentiful evidence from elsewhere in the Caribbean to prove that small businesses and ‘Mom and Pop’ stores “will not be wiped out” upon this country becoming a World Trade Organisation (WTO). Read more

    Exporting Caribbean fashion

    Newsday: Young fashion designers from TT, Grenada, Jamaica, Antigua and Barbuda, Barbados, St Lucia and Tortola – to name a few – have been brought together for the Fashion and Contemporary Design Accelerator, which participants said left them feeling empowered and ready to contribute to building a stronger regional fashion industry. Read more

    UNCTAD holds training in Belize

    LoveFM: The United Nations Conference on Trade and Development, UNCTAD, is in the country holding a one-week workshop to assist with the implementation of the Trade Facilitation Agreement. The Trade Facilitation Agreement will provide for a smoother and more efficient movement of goods. Read more

    Jamaica representing the Caribbean in global food fraud fight

    Loop Jamaica: Jamaica is the only Caribbean country to be included in an International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) five-year research project that is geared at assisting countries in combatting fraud in high-value food products, such as premium honey, coffee and speciality rice varieties. Read more

    Over 42,000 Caribbean nationals overstayed their non-immigrant US visas

    Caribbean News Now: Acting Homeland Secretary, Kevin Mc Aleenan revealed that over 42,000 Caribbean nationals from across the region overstayed their non-immigrant visas and stayed in the US between October 2017 and September 2018. This figure is contained in the US Department of Homeland Security’s (DSH) fiscal year 2018 entry/exit overstay report. Read more

    US Senators submit act to facilitate agricultural exports to Cuba

    Caribbean News Now: US Senators John Boozman and Michael Bennet submitted a draft bill to remove restrictions to private financing for US agricultural exports to Cuba. Read more

    Building Bonds

    Barbados Advocate: The Association of Barbados-China Friendship (ABCF) has been launched in an effort to create and strengthen the bond between Chinese and Barbadians. During the launch, which took place at the Hilton Resort Barbados on Thursday night, President of the ABCF Dr. Delisle Worrell noted that it is a “people-centred organisation with an emphasis on facilitating personal contacts between Barbadians and Chinese”. Read more

    Region lags global shipping trends

    Barbados Today: Barbados and the Caribbean appear to be lagging behind most of the world in using the global postal system’s Express Mail Service (EMS) to boost exports through e-commerce and small package deliveries, experts said here today. Read more

    INTERNATIONAL NEWS

    Rare Earths, the U.S.-China Trade War and Your Phone

    Washington Post: U.S. President Donald Trump’s threat to cut off the supply of chips and processors to Huawei Technologies Co. is hitting China’s biggest tech company where it hurts – its dependence on other nations for the semiconductors and software in smartphones and networking gear. So when Chinese President Xi Jinping showed up days later at a rare earths processing plant, many observers saw a message in the visit: the U.S. has its own tech vulnerabilities, too. Read more

    EU-ACP Pleased With Negotiations For Successor To Cotonou Agreement

    Jamaica Gleaner: The European Union says a new accord to replace the Cotonou Agreement that currently governs its relationship with the African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) Group is “taking shape”. Read more

    79-Nation Group’s Head Explains Vital Tasks Ahead Until ACP-EU Accord Expires

    IndepthNews: As talks progress on future relations between 79 African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) Group of States and the European Union in the aftermath of historic Cotonou Agreement due to expire in February 2020, Secretary-General Dr. Patrick Ignatius Gomes has spelt out vital tasks ahead. Read more

    Nigeria to Join Africa Free Trade Zone, Trade Minister Says

    Bloomberg: Nigeria will sign the Africa Continental Free Trade Agreement as soon as President Muhammadu Buhari approves an impact-assessment report he asked for, the country’s trade minister said. Read more

    The Impact of US-China Trade Tensions

    IMF Blog: US-China trade tensions have negatively affected consumers as well as many producers in both countries. The tariffs have reduced trade between the US and China, but the bilateral trade deficit remains broadly unchanged. Read more

    National Consultative Forum On the African Continental Free Trade Area – Experts to Discuss Corruption and the Challenge of Economic Transformation in Southern Africa

    All Africa: The Economic Commission for Africa Office for Southern Africa (ECA-SA) in partnership with the Ministry of Commerce, Trade and Industry, African Union Commission (AUC), are co-organising a National Consultative Forum; “National Consultative Forum on the African continental free trade area: Opportunities and Challenges for Zambia” from 23rd – 24th May 2019, at Mulungushi Conference in Lusaka, Zambia. Read more

    EU WARNED: Brussels told to be READY for no deal Brexit – ‘Britain will do just fine!’

    Express: THE European Union has been warned if it does not renegotiate the Brexit deal then Britain will instead “thrive and prosper” under a no deal scenario, political commentator Nile Gardiner has warned. Read more

    The world’s biggest shipping company warns Trump’s China tariffs are hammering global trade

    Business Insider: AP Moller-Maersk warned the recent escalation of the trade war could push growth in global container trade to the lower end of its forecast of 1% to 3% for 2019. Read more

    What next for Brexit Britain as May announces resignation as PM?

    Al Jazeera: The country’s future and whether or not it will leave the EU are thrown into further uncertainty after May resigns. Read more

    One-third of EU firms hit hard by US-China trade war

    Deutsche Welle: The ongoing trade tensions between the world’s two largest economies and tit-for-tat tariffs have adversely affected the fortunes of many European companies in China, a new survey reveals. The outlook remains gloomy. Read more

    EU trade tsar on US: ‘We hope we don’t impose tariffs on each other’

    Euronews: As EU-US trade ties remain shaky under the constant threat of tit-for-tat tariffs and rumblings of a trade war, Euronews sat down with EU trade tsar Cecilia Malmstrom to talk about the state of play. Read more

    EU, China, Thailand seek to join WTO consultation over India’s ICT products tariff
    Business Today: According to a communication of EU, China, and Thailand to the World Trade Organisation (WTO), these countries claimed that they have a substantial interest in the trade of information and communication technology (ICT) goods and in joining the consultation process. Read more

    US-China trade war hurts workers with lower salaries the most, WTO director says

    CNBC: An intensifying trade war between the U.S. and China is negatively impacting every country in the world, according to the director-general of the World Trade Organization (WTO), with workers earning lower salaries most likely to be hit the hardest. Read more

    Dispute over WTO reforms could paralyse it, says Canada
    Business Live: Absence of US and China at the latest round of talks to renew the world trade body dashes hopes of urgent action. Read more

    India on US watch list for currency practices

    Economic Times: The US has added India to its monitoring list for currency practices and macroeconomic policies, alleging undervaluation in its currency. Read more

    China’s coming slowdown opens doors to expanding African trade with India

    The Africa Report: Charles Robertson, chief economist at Renaissance Capital, argues that slower Chinese growth will not necessarily be detrimental for Africa, as Indian trade and investment is likely to increase. Indian demand for raw materials is likely to benefit the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Guinea and Zambia, he says. Read more

    India reports trade deficit with 11 RCEP members in FY 2018-19

    Business Standard: The trade gap with Brunei, Japan, and Malaysia has increased to $0.5 billion, $7.1 billion and $3.8 billion, respectively in the last fiscal. It was $0.4 billion, $6.2 billion and $3.3 billion in 2017. Read more

    Malaysia to strengthen trade, investment ties with Brazil

    Malay Mail: Malaysia and Brazil will continue to focus on expanding bilateral trade and investment ties.This is alongside the possibility of having a free trade agreement between Malaysia and Mercosur, an economic and political bloc comprising Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay. Read more

    Canada, U.S. reach deal to continue pork trade if swine fever is detected

    Global News: In the event of an outbreak of African swine fever in Canada or the U.S., pork products from disease-free areas will still be allowed to flow across the border.An agreement reached between the two countries is intended to limit the economic impact of a possible outbreak of ASF, an illness that has led to the deaths of a million pigs in China but has not been detected in Canada or the U.S. Read more

    Mexico’s Lopez Obrador says confident USMCA will be ratified

    Reuters: Mexico’s President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador said on Thursday he was confident the United States-Mexico-Canada-Agreement would be ratified, increasing trade in the North American region. Read more

    Turkey halves tariffs on 22 US imports to reciprocate Washington move

    Daily Sabah: Turkey has decided to reduce additional duties on some U.S. imports in response to a similar United States move to halve tariffs on Turkish steel imports, the trade minister said on Wednesday. Read more

    Chinese AI firms hunker down as reports indicate they are next on US export hit list

    The Edge Markets: iFlytek executive Hu Yu may have spoken too soon, when he made a positive comparison of his company to Huawei Technologies during a new product launch in Shanghai earlier this week. Read more

    WTO NEWS

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    The Caribbean Trade & Development Digest is a weekly trade news digest published by the Caribbean Trade Law & Development Blog. Liked this issue? To read past issues, please visit here. To receive these mailings directly to your inbox, please subscribe to our Blog below:

  • Caribbean Trade & Development News Digest – April 28 – May 4, 2019

    Caribbean Trade & Development News Digest – April 28 – May 4, 2019

    Welcome to the Caribbean Trade & Development News Digest for the week of April 28-May 4, 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 CARICOM Council on Trade and Economic Development (COTED) held its 48th meeting, while the 19th Spe­cial Meet­ing of the CARI­COM Heads of Gov­ern­ment on Se­cu­ri­ty took place in Trinidad later in the week. On May 2, the US began enforcing Title III of the Helms-Burton Act of 1996 allowing US investors to bring claims against those found to be trafficking property confiscated by the Cuban government.

    The EU has launched a public consultation as part of its evaluation exercise of the CARIFORUM-EU Economic Partnership Agreement. The EU also released their proposal on WTO rules for ecommerce.  Meanwhile, the WTO announced a new fund to assist Least Developed Country members’ participation in fisheries subsidies talks.

    REGIONAL NEWS

    Cuba Denounces Intensification of US Blockade before WTO

    Prensa Latina: Cuba denounced in Geneva before the World Trade Organization (WTO) the intensification of the United States, following the activation of Title III of the Helms Burton Law, diplomatic sources say. Read more 

    Carnival hit with Helms-Burton lawsuit for using Havana terminal

    Travel Weekly: A company that owned the cruise terminal in Havana prior to its 1960 confiscation by the Castro government has filed suit seeking damages from Carnival Corp. Read more 

    Trust Deficit Hurting Agricultural Exports

    Jamaica Gleaner: Erasing the trust deficit between local farmers and the exporters who peddle their produce to the Jamaican diaspora in North America and the United Kingdom must be addressed as a matter of priority. Read more

    St. Vincent and the Grenadines hit by cattle shortage

    St Lucia News Online: Local butchers are scheduled to meet with Saboto Caesar, the minister of agriculture, on Monday, amidst claims that there is a cattle shortage in St Vincent and the Grenadines. Richard Gibson, owner of Midway Butchers, told SEARCHLIGHT this week that this country was experiencing a cattle shortage as a result of exports to Grenada. Read more 

    No need for alarm as regional labelling standards

    Jamaica Observer: A regional standard for the labelling of pre-packaged foods is currently being revised, and is being led by the Caricom Regional Organisation for Standards and Quality (CROSQ) – the regional standards development body. Read more 

    Take care of matters that are important to people – COTED Chair, CARICOM SG

    CARICOM: Barbados Minister in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade, the Hon. Sandra Husbands, wants Trade Ministers to take action on matters that will allow the people of the Region to actively feel the benefit of the CSME. Read more

    Regional rum industry looking to increase share of global market

    Nation News: CARICOM Trade Ministers approved a range of recommendations aimed at positioning the region’s rum industry to better take advantage of the global market. Read more 

    CARICOM urges US to maintain duty-free market access

    Dominica News Online: CARICOM Secretary-General, Ambassador Irwin LaRocque has expressed CARICOM’s interest in the renewal of legislation for the extension of the Caribbean Basin Trade Partnership Act (CBTPA) and the WTO waiver beyond December 2019 to allow continued duty-free access to the US market. Read more 

    Jamaica PM provides details of meeting with US president 

    JIS: Prime Minister, the Most Hon. Andrew Holness, says the recent meeting with President of the United States of America (USA), Donald Trump; and several Caribbean leaders provided a direct opportunity for the strengthening of bilateral and regional relationships. Read more 

    Trade Ministers support international competitiveness for regional rum industry

    Barbados Advocate: CARICOM Trade Ministers who met in Guyana this week, on April 29, approved a range of recommendations aimed at positioning the region’s rum industry to better take advantage of the global market. Read more 

    Implementation of CSME cannot be a shifting target- CARICOM Secretary-General warns COTED

    Kaieteur News: CARICOM Secretary-General, Ambassador Irwin LaRocque has called for consistent efforts of Regional Heads for the implementation of recommendations, towards the achieving goals set out under the Caribbean Single Market and Economy (CSME). Read more 

    Customs and Excise Department holds Asycuda sensitization workshop

    Searchlight: Direct trader input, faster clearance time, and increase in revenue collection are just some of the benefits of using ASYCUDA software. That’s the word from ASYCUDA Coordinator at the Customs and Excise Department, Samantha Robinson. Read more

    Bim in ‘new’ world battle, says Husbands

    Barbados Today: Barbados could soon find itself in another compliance battle with an international body over its trade and taxation practices, Minister in the Ministry of Foreign Trade Sandra Husbands told Parliament today. Read more

    Rowley: Robust regional security is essential

    Guardian (T&T): Fol­low­ing are the open­ing re­marks de­liv­ered by Prime Min­is­ter Dr Kei­th Row­ley at the 19th Spe­cial Meet­ing of the CARI­COM Heads of Gov­ern­ment on Se­cu­ri­ty cur­rent­ly tak­ing place in Port-of-Spain. Read more 

    INTERNATIONAL NEWS

    Does China really control Africa’s destiny?

    Devex: For decades, development partners from industrialized nations have relied on aid and foreign direct investment to finance infrastructure developments, stimulate economic growth, and build technical capacity. Countries such as the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, and Germany have, for many years, led the way in providing international support to developing economies. Read more 

    AU Commission prepares for single market launch in July

    The East African: The African Continental Free Trade Area will enter into force during the next African Union Summit slated for Niamey, Niger, in July. Read more 

    African countries urged to discuss modalities as AfCFTA edges closer to effect

    Xinhua: The United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (ECA) on Saturday urged African countries and pan-African institutions to prepare modalities as the African Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA) edges closer to entry into force. Read more 

    Malaysia: ASEAN’s e-commerce gateway to China

    The ASEAN Post: As we enter the Fourth Industrial Revolution and practically everything is moving online, the importance of e-commerce is heightened now more than ever before. E-commerce, in fact, is quickly becoming the primary mode of business and trade around the world – ASEAN included.  Read more 

    UN Chief to Address WTO General Council next week

    Business Standard: UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres is to make a historic address to the General Council of the World Trade Organization (WTO) next week, the UN said here on Friday. Read more 

    Abe vows to seek WTO reforms at G20 Osaka summit

    NHK: Japan’s Prime Minister Shinzo Abe says he will raise the issue of reforming the World Trade Organization at the Group of 20 nations summit in Osaka in June. Read more 

    EU-Brazil trade should be more sustainable, 600 scientists say

    Euractiv: In an open letter, 600 European scientists and 300 indigenous groups are calling for the EU to insist on the respect for environmental and human rights standards in its current trade negotiations with Brazil. EURACTIV Germany reports. Read more 

    EU vows to respond to US sanctions to protect companies in Cuba

    Euractiv: The European Union is ready to counter potential US sanctions against European companies in Cuba, the bloc’s top diplomat said on Thursday (2 May), following Washington’s reactivation of parts of the legislation that would allow US citizens to file lawsuits against investors in the island. Read more 

    Ecommerce on agenda at WTO Delhi meet

    Economic Times: E-commerce negotiations at the multilateral level will be a key area of talks at the informal World Trade Organization (WTO) ministerial meeting which will take place in Delhi later this month. Read more 

    Pence: tariffs part of enforcement in a US-China trade deal

    Yahoo News: The removal of tough US tariffs on Chinese goods will be part of enforcing any new trade deal between Beijing and Washington, US Vice President Mike Pence said Friday. Read more 

    EU releases proposal on new WTO rules for electronic commerce

    EU: The EU has today made public its text proposal on future rules and obligations on e-commerce as part of WTO negotiations on e-commerce endorsed by Ministers in the margins of the Davos World Economic Forum in January 2019. The release of the text proposal is part of the EU’s commitment to transparency and inclusiveness in the development of its trade policy. Read more 

    Trump Gave the Japanese Prime Minister a Break on Trade, For Now

    TIME: President Donald Trump did Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe a favor last week, delaying the start of negotiations on a tricky trade decision, potentially pushing it past that country’s elections in July, three officials briefed on the talks tell TIME. Read more 

    Mexico will not accept more labor enforcement in new NAFTA, top official says

    Politico: A top Mexican official delivered an ultimatum to Democrats on Friday, saying the country will not accept a stronger labor enforcement mechanism in the new North American trade pact and will not support reopening the deal to further negotiation. Read more 

    US boosts exports to Ghana with new framework agreement

    Global Trade Review: The export credit agencies (ECA) of the US and Ghana have signed a US$300mn agreement to support the procurement of US goods and services by Ghanaian SMEs.  Read more 

    79-Nation ACP Group Must Guard Against Lack of Unity

    IndepthNews: The prospect of Brexit, the United Kingdom’s departure from the European Union, continues to loom large over the African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) group of countries. If a no-deal Brexit happens in October, this could mean severe consequences for the ACP. Read more 

    Africa Continental Free Trade Area to enter into force in July

    CGTN: The African Continental Free Trade Area will officially enter into force during the next Extra-Ordinary Heads of State and Government summit slated for 7th July 2019 in Niamey, Niger. Read more 

    Mexican Congress Passes Labor Law Tied to USMCA Trade Agreement

    Bloomberg: Mexico’s Senate approved an overhaul to the country’s labor code, a move that U.S. House Democrats made a pre-condition for debating a successor to the Nafta trade deal. Read more 

    ‘Productive’ end to latest round of US-China trade talks

    South China Morning Post: The latest round of trade negotiations between China and the United States concluded on Wednesday, with US Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin describing the talks as productive. Read more 

    What’s at Stake and at Risk in the U.S.-Japan Trade Talks

    Fortune: More than two years after U.S. President Donald Trump walked away from a regional Asia-Pacific trade agreement, the U.S. and Japan — the world’s largest and third-largest economies — are negotiating a deal of their own. Both sides insist they want a “win-win” outcome, but as evidenced by the Trump administration’s tariff battles with China and the European Union, there’s also potential for serious economic damage if things go bad. Read more 

    Canadian and Japanese leaders tout benefits of Pacific trade deal that Trump abandoned

    Reuters: The leaders of Canada and Japan on Sunday touted the benefits of a Pacific trade deal that U.S. President Donald Trump walked away from and said the pact should serve as a model for future agreements. Read more 

    EU belittles U.S. claims as ‘frankly childish’ at WTO Airbus hearing

    Reuters: A European Union trade lawyer fired withering put-downs at U.S. claims for damages due to subsidies for European planemaker Airbus in a recording of a dispute hearing made available by the World Trade Organization (WTO) on Tuesday. Read more

    Free trade and WTO face tests on many fronts

    Asia Times: In the era of Trump, tariff wars and Brexit, a widely-overlooked ruling early this month at the World Trade Organization looks set to place that organization under US threat, at a time when the world is receding ever further into an era of managed trade. Read more 

    EU court backs use of trade tribunals to protect foreign investors

    Reuters: The European Union won backing from the bloc’s top court on Tuesday for its system to protect foreign companies, which proponents say is essential for future trade agreements but critics say unfairly favors multinationals. Read more 

    New NAFTA’s sunset clause is a ticking time bomb

    The Hill: The United States, Mexico and Canada just finished renegotiating the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), but the future of the new NAFTA remains uncertain. Read more 

    WTO NEWS

    DG Azevêdo announces new fund to help LDCs participate in fisheries subsidies talks

    At a meeting of the full WTO membership on 3 May, Director-General Roberto Azevêdo announced that a new WTO trust fund has been established to support least developed countries to take part in negotiations on fisheries subsidies over the coming months, ahead of the end-of-year deadline for this work agreed by members. Read more

    Aid for Trade Global Review 2019 registration now open

    Registration is now open for the Aid for Trade Global Review 2019, to be held from 3 to 5 July under the theme “Supporting Economic Diversification and Empowerment” at the WTO’s headquarters in Geneva. The Global Review will discuss how Aid for Trade supports economic diversification and empowerment, with a focus on eliminating extreme poverty, particularly through the effective participation of micro, small and medium enterprises, women and youth. Read more

    10 years of WTO monitoring — enhancing trade policy transparency and predictability

    Following the outbreak of the 2008 global financial crisis, WTO members tasked the WTO Secretariat with the mission to prepare regular updates on the latest trends in the implementation of new trade and trade-related measures and on important developments in trade policy-making. Launched in early 2009, the trade monitoring exercise successfully continues to this day, having delivered 23 WTO-wide and 20 G20 trade monitoring reports over the past decade. Read more 

    WTO opens online registration for 2019 Public Forum

    Online registration for the 2019 Public Forum is now open. The main theme of this year’s event, to be held at the WTO’s headquarters from 8 to 11 October, is “Trading Forward: Adapting to a Changing World”. Registration closes on 16 September 2019. Read more 

    Azevêdo: E-commerce moratorium has long been a feature of the multilateral trading system

    Addressing a workshop on the moratorium on customs duties on electronic transmissions on 29 April, Director-General Roberto Azevêdo said the digital economy and the e-commerce moratorium have been an important focus of conversations for many WTO members, particularly since the Buenos Aires Ministerial Conference in 2017.  Read more 

    Members adopt national security ruling on Russian Federation’s transit restrictions

    The Dispute Settlement Body (DSB) on 26 April formally adopted a panel ruling clarifying the use of national security exceptions to WTO rules as invoked in the trade dispute between the Russian Federation and Ukraine over transit restrictions. Read more

    The Caribbean Trade & Development Digest is a weekly trade news digest published by the Caribbean Trade Law & Development Blog. Liked this issue? To read past issues, please visit here. To receive these mailings directly to your inbox, please follow our blog.