Business View Caribbean | February 2020

6 BUSINESS VIEW CARIBBEAN FEBRUARY 2020 penetration has been at the forefront of the Caribbean Export Development Agency’s work program, which is being funded by the European Union. Since 2010, approximately EUR 52 million (about 58.1 million U.S. dollars) have been dedicated to enhancing the competitiveness and value of the Caribbean brands through the delivery of transformative and targeted interventions in export development and investment promotion. Concerning the CARIFORUM-EU EPA, the EU Ambassador remarked, “The region has one of the best Economic Partnership Agreements which provides duty and quota free market access for all Caribbean products. Unlike other EPAs that the EU has concluded, the CARIFORUM-EU EPA also provides substantial market access for services.” Caribbean Export released a series of explainer videos to support increased awareness in the private sector for the benefits of exporting to Europe. “We recognize that the average person isn’t going to sit down to read a trade agreement, and so, we wanted to break it down so businesses understood more easily the opportunities available and how they can leverage the benefits of the EPA whilst exporting to Europe” informed Dr. Damie Sinanan, Manager – Competitiveness and Export Promotion, Caribbean Export. The series not only breaks down general provisions such as duty and quota free market access and rules of origin, but also sector specific provisions making it easier for viewers to understand how practitioners in sectors such as music, food, craft and Information Communication and Technology (ICT) can leverage the EPA when exporting to Europe. The EPA video series was a significant resource added to the Agency’s CE-Intelligence portal which was launched in 2018. The CE- Intelligence portal provides information for its users in the areas of trade and business intelligence; access to finance with a listing of financial institutions and opportunities across the region; step by step export guides; foreign direct investment and a section on food safety providing information on the market entry requirements of key markets such as the EU, the USA, and Canada. The region has one of the best Economic Partnership Agreements which provides duty and quota free market access