David Jessop is currently on leave so his regular column will not be appearing in this space during this period. However, for the benefit of Guyanese business people, we are publishing a series by him explaining the provisions of the Economic Partnership Agreement which the CARIFORM countries will sign with the European Union (EU) in June. It is in ten parts, and when David Jessop’s regular column returns, the remainder of the series will appear elsewhere in this paper. This is the second part.
By David Jessop
Perhaps the most innovative part of the whole 1000-plus pages of the text of the Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) that will be signed between Europe and the Caribbean in Barbados, is its protocol on cultural co-operation.
In the closing days of the negotiations, achieving European agreement on this issue became central to the region’s willingness to compromise on other matters. Then, Barbados’ Prime Minister, Owen Arthur, made clear that liberalizing access for the export of Caribbean cultural and entertainment products was “a line in the sand” for the Caribbean.
