(Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Secretariat, Turkeyen, Greater Georgetown, Guyana) – The Sixtieth (60th) Regular Meeting of the Council for Trade and Economic Development (COTED) is scheduled to take place in Georgetown, Guyana, 10-11 June, under the chairmanship of the Hon. Kerrie Symmonds, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade of Barbados.
The CARICOM Secretary-General, Dr Carla Barnett and the COTED Chair will deliver remarks at the opening session of the Meeting.
The agenda of the Meeting is packed with critical trade matters including the proposed implementation of the revised Common External Tarriff (CET), progress of the Sectoral Working Group reviewing CARICOM Rules of Origin and reports from the Monitoring Mechanisms on Sugar, Cement and Rice.
CARICOM ministers will also address compliance with the Revised Treaty of Chaguaramas and decisions of COTED as CARICOM works to enhance the operations of the CARICOM Single Market and Economy (CSME).
Other key discussions will centre around a draft Industrial Policy and Strategy for 2025-2030, and issues related to the free movement of Community nationals. An update will also be provided on a recently commissioned consultancy to assess the impact and potential benefits of the CSME. This study is being funded by the European Union under the 11th EDF.
Additionally, the Council will review several external trade matters, including developments at the World Trade Organisation, implications of the America First Trade Policy for CARICOM trade and economic prospects, and negotiations to expand preferential market access under the Agreement on Trade, Economic and Technical Cooperation between CARICOM and the Government of Colombia.
Tune in the view the opening session of the meeting on Tuesday June 10, 2025.
Kindly note the details below:
WHAT: Opening – 60th Regular Meeting of the Council for Trade and Economic Development
WHEN: Tuesday 10 June 2025 | 10.00 am AST
Virtual access: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Eu8qozU2cJE
About COTED:
The CARICOM Council for Trade and Economic Development (COTED) is responsible for advancing trade and economic growth within the Community. It oversees the operation of the Single Market and Economy in accordance with the Revised Treaty of Chaguaramas. Additionally, the Council evaluates, promotes, and establishes measures to enhance production, quality control, and marketing of regional industrial and agricultural commodities to ensure their competitiveness on the global stage.
