The Kingston waterfront. - Norman Grindley/Deputy Chief Photographer
Trade negotiators from the European Union and the Caribbean's Cariforum group yesterday began a round of talks in Kingston, continuing efforts to craft a trade and cooperation pact as one of a series of Regional Economic Partnership Agreements (REPAs) between the developed European Union (EU) and the African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) group of countries.
These talks, which bring together four technical group focusing on issues such as market access and trade related issues, will continue until Friday.
"We are hoping to generate useful text," said Richard Bernal, the head of Caribbean Regional Negotiating Machinery, which is overseeing the negotiations for the Cariforum, comprising the 15 Caribbean Community (Cari-com) member states and the Dominican Republic.
The regional partnership agreements are expected to come into force in 2008, replacing the existing Cotonou Agreement, a single trade and economic development agreement between the ACP and EU.
