Additional Content
Date: 11 Mar - 11 Mar, 2021
Time: 09:00:00 - 12:00 pmVenue: VirtualCategory: Stakeholder Event
The EU-CARIFORUM Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA), entered into force in December 2008 with the overarching objective to enhance reciprocal trade in goods, services, investment, competition, sustainable development, as well as deepening regional integration between the Parties.
This webinar will discuss the impact of the EPA on the private sector, hear from firms in the goods and services sector about their experiences regarding trade under the EPA and comment on the recommendations for the future on how to unlock the trade potential under this EPA.
The consulting firm Ecory’s will present the results of their assessment on the state of EU-CARIFORUM trade as well as four sector case studies, namely cultural and creative services, beverages and rum, the dairy sector and investments with a focus on tourism. For their study a total of 200 stakeholders were consulted in the CARIFORUM Region and in the EU.
REGISTER NOW
AGENDA
09:00 – 09:25 Opening Remarks
Mr. Deodat Maharaj – Executive Director, Caribbean Export Development Agency
Ambassador Malgorzata Wasilewska – EU Delegation to Barbados, the Eastern Caribbean States, the OECS and CASRICOM/CARIFORUM
Mr. Percival Marie – Director General, CARIFORUM Directorate
09:20 – 10:25 EU-CARIFORUM TRADE: presentation on CASE STUDY findings
A presentation of the main findings and recommendations of the second ex-post evaluation study in the fields of trade in goods, services and overall impact, feedback on EPA implementation as well as development cooperation with a particular focus on a business users perspective under the EPA. The presentation will be followed by discussion of the findings, recommendations and Q&A session.
Moderator – Mr. Adam Wisniewski, First Secretary – Trade Affairs Manager, European Union Delegation to Barbados, the Eastern Caribbean States, the OECS and CARICOM/CARIFORUM
Presenter – Ms. Nora Plaisier, Project Manager – Ecorys
Co-presenter – Mr. Michael Fuenfzig – Head of Economic Team – Ecorys
Discussants
Mr. Escipion Oliveira, Assistant Secretary General – Organisation of African, Caribbean and Pacific States
Ms. Marie Louise Norton-Murray, Director/Member – European Business Chamber in Trinidad and Tobago
10:25 – 11:10 Lessons from Trading Goods Under the EPA. Defining Ownership of the Agreement
Despite opportunities offered by the EPA, many CARIFORUM exporters are struggling to achieve full benefits. The Panelists will present their own accounts on trading with Europe, with a focus on challenges and recommendations to improve the trading arrangement. Specific case studies looking into growth and opportunities of the beverages and dairy sectors under this EPA will be examined together with the impact of Brexit and challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Panelists
11:10 – 11:50 Trade in Services and Investments: Tapping Untapped Potential
What is needed to stimulate greater services and investments flows? What are the key sectors that could become drivers for economic growth?
This session will explore cases studies on the creative services and tourism sector identifying the barriers to potential growth and uncovering opportunities for EU-CARIFORUM trade in cultural services and investment.