BY Elizabeth Morgan From Jamaica Observer

As we come to the end of 2018, I wish to provide an update on the international trade policy issues involving Jamaica and Caribbean partners:

1. Caricom/Caribbean Single Market and Economy

The special meeting of Caricom heads of government held in Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago, December 3-4, adopted the St Ann’s Declaration on the Caribbean Single Market and Economy (CSME) committing to advance the regional integration agenda. They reconstituted the Caricom Commission on the Economy. With these decisions from this meeting it is anticipated that, in 2019, concrete steps will be taken by each member state to move the CSME forward. This should include a regional foreign trade agenda and strategy.

Jamaica’s chairmanship ends on December 31, with St Kitts-Nevis assuming the post. Jamaica remains chair of the Prime Ministerial Sub-Committee on External Trade Negotiations.

As the turmoil in Brexit continues in the UK, the Caribbean (CARIFORUM) is still to approve the rollover agreement with the UK, as the CARIFORUM Council of Ministers Meeting scheduled for November was postponed. If Britain has to move to a hard Brexit, that is no agreement with the European Union, then CARIFORUM must have a rollover agreement in place by March 2019.

3. ACP/EU Post-Cotonou Negotiations

You will recall that these Negotiations formally commenced in September. Since then five technical rounds have been held. The most recent session of the Joint Ministerial Central negotiating Group (CNG) was held along with the 108th African, Caribbean, and Pacific Group of States (ACP) Council of Ministers Meeting in Brussels, December 12-14.

I read that the African Union (AU) arrived at a common position at their assembly meeting in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, November 17-18. That position is to maintain the ACP/EU framework in parallel with their EU/Africa mechanism. The least developed countries (LDCs) have stated that the Post-Cotonou Agreement must address issues of specific concern to them. In an interview in October, EU Development Commissioner Neven Mimica pointed out again that the future Post-Cotonou Agreement will not be limited to the relations between the EU and ACP as a group, but will have a strong focus on regional partnerships. Thus, the EU is clear, that the new Post-Cotonou Agreement will be focused on the three separate ACP regions.

We are still to hear from CARIFORUM on its approach to a regional CARIFORUM/EU negotiation. This requires convening soonest the meeting of the CARIFORUM Council of Ministers.

An interesting development in November, seen on the ACP website, is a meeting between CARIFORUM and the countries of the Central America Integration System (SICA) to look at their cooperation with the EU. There has been an ongoing effort to forge a closer relationship between the Caribbean and Latin America in their EU relationship. This is the wider EU/Community of Latin American and Caribbean countries (CELAC) process.

At the 108th ACP Council of Ministers Meeting, the first being held since the start of the Post-Cotonou negotiations, it is reported the council looked at the status of these negotiations and the role of the ACP in the current economic environment. The ACP is also reviewing its foundation agreement, the Georgetown Agreement, to define an expanded role for the group.

Recall the desire that ACP/EU Post Cotonou Negotiations be concluded by July 2019.

4. Caricom/US relations

As we approach 2019, we must also recall that the Caribbean Basin Economic Recovery Act (CBERA) and the Caribbean Basin Trade Partnership Act (CBTPA), which govern trade between the USA and Caricom countries, will be up for renewal as they expire in September 2020. It is also clear that not much has happened with the implementation of the 2016 US/Caribbean Strategic Engagement Act and its 2017 strategy.

As the year ends, in addition, we must recognise that there are a number of other trade-related issues which need continued monitoring; the World Trade Organization (WTO) and need for reform; the impact of protectionist measures on trade expansion; the tensions between the USA and China; implementing the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs); and the outcomes from the G7 and G20 meetings, among others.

We should also remember the organisations which provided support to developing countries, including those in the Caribbean, which have recently closed — the Caribbean and Central American Action (CCAA) in Washington, DC, and the International Centre for Trade and Sustainable Development (ICTSD) in Geneva. ICTSD provided valuable support to developing countries. Its closure came as a surprise. We must consider how the gaps will be filled.

Trade makes a vital contribution to this region’s gross domestic product (GDP). Yet, regrettably, many regional and international trade policy issues, which shape Jamaica and Caricom’s foreign trade policy, continue to go under the radar. I am hoping that coverage and public awareness will further improve in 2019. It should not take some dire fallout to bring these issues within sight.

Best wishes for Christmas and the new year.

Elizabeth Morgan is a specialist in international trade and politics. Send comments to the Observer or [email protected].

For more on this story go to: http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/opinion/int-l-trade-policy-issues-involving-jamaica-and-caribbean-partners_152486?profile=1096