The Caribbean Community (CARICOM) will focus its attention on a number of trade and economic issues, particularly those in relation to the implementation of the CARICOM Single Market and Economy in June. These Meetings will be held under the umbrella of the Council for Trade and Economic Development (COTED).
The Meetings will take place in Barbados and the CARICOM Secretary-General, Mr Edwin Carrington will be in attendance. While in Barbados too, Mr Carrington will deliver opening remarks at the launching of the Centre for International Services.
Under a system of a quasi cabinet, in which individual CARICOM Heads of Governments are assigned specific responsibility for spearheading the Community’s development in key issues, Barbados has responsibility for the CSME.
The series of meetings will start on 6 June, 2000 with a review of issues associated with the implementation of Protocol 11 of the revised Treaty of Chaguaramas. This Meeting will be followed by 9th Meeting of COTED, one of the four Ministerial Councils which came into being under Protocol l in the Treaty revision process. Protocol 1 addresses the Organs and Institutions of the Community.
The COTED will meet at the officials level from 12 June, 2000 and at the Ministerial level 16-17 June, 2000. The COTED promotes trade and economic development of the Community and oversees the operations of the CSME.
Both the Officials and Ministers have a packed agenda with their primary focus being on CSME issues, the primary programme of work for the Community. Attention will be focused on the process towards completion of the revision of the Treaty of Chaguaramas and the implementation of the Protocols amending the Treaty of Chaguaramas.
A range of issues in agriculture, namely those relating to the Regional Transformation Programme on Agriculture (RTP), Agri-Business Marketing Development Initiatives, Agricultural Policy Development and Human Resource Development, will engage the attention of Officials and Ministers.
They will also be occupied with issues on Trade in Goods, particularly in relation to the Common External Tariff (CET) and the Common Market Rules of Origin. Issues associated with the growing Services sector will feature in discussions at the Meeting of COTED where a report from the First Meeting of the Working Group on Intellectual Property will be considered.
Under the agenda item of External Economic and Trade Relations, attention will focus on a number of CARICOM Bilateral arrangements. Of particular note are those in relation to the Dominican Republic, Cuba, Venezuela and Colombia. Developments in CARICOM’s relationship with the Association of Caribbean States (ACS) will also be considered as well as issues relating to housing and human settlement.
The Meetings on trade and economic issues will be followed on the 19 and 20 June 2000 with the sixth Meeting of the Community Council, the second highest Organ of the Community.
