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…Jagdeo says Europe should drop the façade and tell it like it isImplementation of the Economic Partnership Agreement in its present form will probably lead to the abandonment of the CSME and is a probability heightened by the fact that the Caribbean is signing the EPA as separate states.This is according to Sir Shridath Ramphal,Cheap Kanken Backpack Uk, who was speaking at the recently concluded National Consultations on the EPA held at the National Conference Centre.CSME, the CARICOM Single Market and Economy,Nfl Jerseys Online Cheap, is a single economic system designed to facilitate the pooling of the region’s financial, human and natural resources in order to build the economic capacity required to effectively respond to globalisation and the emergence of mega trading blocs such as the European Union.It has its origins in the 1989, 10th meeting of the Conference of the Heads of Government of the Caribbean Community,Jerseys Wholesale, which recognised the need to deepen the integration process in response to the changing world economic environment. This led to the decision to establish a Single Market and Economy.Ramphal’s sentiment echoed that of President Bharrat Jagdeo, who prior to the consultations had said that the EPA that seeks to implement a new trading agreement with CARIFORUM countries and Europe will undermine the CARICOM Single Market and Economy (CSME).This, according to Jagdeo, was a reflection of double standards in that the Europeans say that they support regional integration and aspects of the EPA.In illustrating his point,Cheap NFL Jerseys China, Jagdeo noted that confirming will result in countries having to lose value on their products. “If a country uses sugar from Guyana to make its sweets then that part (sugar) will not qualify for preferential prices when exported to Europe.”According to Jagdeo, the EPA is supposed to be developmental but several aspects of it were not.When Karl-Friedrich Falkenburg, Deputy Director of Trade at the European Commission attempted to point out the developmental aspects in the agreement, Jagdeo promptly insisted that he ‘drop the façade and tell it like it is.’ “They have double standards…they say they support regional integration but then they will not support regional production integration and regional trade,” said Jagdeo.“If there was not a threat of imposing tariffs on our exports, Guyana would never be part of the agreement,Cheap Shoes Websites,” said Jagdeo.He is particularly upset with the aspect of the agreement which deals with reciprocity, wherein some 87 per cent of the goods imported to the CARIFORUM countries will be done duty free.“They now have duty free access into poor countries’ markets and they can now swamp it with their domestic products…It will have a big impact on balance of trade and payment with Europe.”Following the consultations on Friday last, a statement was released which stated that stakeholders in Guyana roundly condemned the EPA initialed last December by the Caribbean Regional Negotiating Machinery (CRNM) and the European Commission.Senior representatives of the government, opposition political parties, trade union movement, the private sector, religious bodies and other non-governmental organizations unanimously called on regional leaders not to sign the agreement in its present form.They expressed particular concern about the implications of the EPA for the Caribbean Single Market and Economy.The stakeholders expressed their deep concern that their meeting took place in an environment in which all CARIFORUM countries have been threatened by the EU with the application of higher tariffs on their principal exports into the European Union unless they signed the EPA.They voiced their strong disappointment over many aspects of the EPA, but particularly over the inclusion of the so-called “Singapore issues” – investment, competition and government procurement – which remain contentious and unsettled in the World Trade Organisation. They also expressed deep concern over the fracture of ACP solidarity, which has been a beneficial hallmark to the Caribbean in its trade relations with the EU.The meeting was affronted when Falkenberg indicated that the EU expects the Guyana Government and other Caribbean governments to sign the agreement without further discussion despite the fact that, until the EPA was initialed, there was no factual basis for consultation with stakeholders.Stakeholders were also deeply disturbed that the EU representative would not accept a proposal from President Jagdeo that Guyana would sign a “goods only” agreement that was fully compatible with WTO requirements while negotiations continue on trade in services and the “Singapore Issues”.Several overseas and local trade experts at the meeting were adamant that for the EPA to be compatible with WTO requirements, only a “goods” agreement was necessary.It was emphasized that it is only the Caribbean that has initialed a full EPA.  Other regions and countries have initialed “goods only” agreements,China Jerseys, and many others are still negotiating with the EU.The meeting collectively mandated President Jagdeo to advise CARICOM Heads of Government at their meeting on September 10 that Guyana is willing to sign a “goods only” agreement now, which would allow the EPA to be signed with enough time to renegotiate its development aspects, the “Singapore Issues” and services which offer little real opportunities to Caribbean businesses but open the regional market to European service providers.The meeting noted also that an ACP Summit will be held on October 2 and 3 in Ghana and expressed alarm at the prospect of the Caribbean signing a full EPA virtually on the eve of an ACP Summit called to discuss the EPA among other issues. The stakeholders urged President Jagdeo to send a high-level delegation to the ACP Summit to exchange views with ACP partners on the issues that have arisen in the Caribbean and other regions of the ACP group on the EPA negotiations.